Hip Displeasure

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2007-01-01T06:31:00.000-08:00

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The 2006 "Airing of Grievances"

2007-01-01T06:06:00.000-08:00

As the holiday season winds to a close, we here at Hip-D (at least those of us who weren't too lazy to participate) have decided to honor the annual Festivus celebration by posting our own "Airing of Grievances for 2006. Each staffer (again, those who actually played along) makes a case for their favorite 2006 album that did NOT make the Hip-D Top 20. Once we can figure out how to virtually pin each other to a mat, we'll add the "Feats of Strength."

Elvis Fu: Scott H. Biram - Graveyard Shift

If I weren't such a lapdog for Lucero, Graveyard Shift by Scott H. Biram might very well have topped my 2006 list.

This is Biram's fifth album, but the self-described "Dirty Old One-Man Band" had somehow never popped up on my radar until this year. "Dirty" isn't quite spot-on. "Truck Stop Toilet Dirty" is closer to what Biram churns out through a tangled mess of blues, roadworn country and enough heavy metal to scare off the more chaste fans of traditional blues & country. Oh yeah, Scott H. Biram also heads the self-established "First Church of the Ultimate Fanaticism" as a sort of whiskey smuggling Revival preacher following the blue highways looking for more than just salvation under the big tent.

This ain't alt-country. Sure, we get some pedal steel and a little harmonica over a twangy guitar backdrop, but Biram credits himself with just about every piece of his orchestra: lead and harmony vocals, CB radio, loudspeaker, breathing, harmonica, gut, all acoustic & electric guitars, Hammond B3 organ, homemade footstomp board, hi hat, tambourine, claps, hambone, table thump, special effects, random noises. It's not pretty. Graveyard Shift is unwashed, flea-bitten and broken down on every damn song. With his voice sounding like it's projected through an old coffee can, Biram kicks off the album with "Most times I can't sleep at night / I just walk the highway up and down / Sometimes I can't eat a bite at all / Sometimes I bite off more then I can chew," from "Down Too Long."

From there, Biram hustles through trucker life ("18 Wheeler Fever," "Reefer Load"), the big man upstairs ("Only Jesus," "Church Jesus"), punching a clock for The Man ("Work," "Graveyard Shift") and of course, women ("Long Fingernails"). And while "Plow You Under" is a better glimpse at the awesome horror that is Scott H. Biram, it was "Lost Case of Being Found", that made me stop and listen the first time. It's still my favorite since that moment, even though it is a more low-key number.

Mark H.: Chumbawamba - A Singsong And A Scrap

Occasionally a band will change gears or explore new sonic territory, raising an eyebrow or two and possibly pulling former fans back into the fold. Chumbawamba, however, have dared go the step beyond, and outright reinvented themselves for this new album. Stripped down to fewer members and fewer instruments, the once-predictable arrangement of horns, amps, synths, and thumping beats is nowhere in sight. Thankfully, the group has talent to spare, so even with just their multi-part harmonies, acoustic guitars, and other various folk/americana instruments, Chumbawamba has turned in a masterpiece.

One might think they’ve delved into the hipster neo-folk realm, but that simply isn’t the case. These are tunes that point confidently in the direction of The Weavers and The Kingston Trio. The album showcases folk revival-esque songs of war and protest, sung sing-along style and for the pop masses. In and of itself, a fine musical accomplishment, but the album cruised to the # 1 spot on my list for outstanding songwriting (granted, they cover The Clash – and well – but the other 12 originals are amazing). Every single song, even the ones with a specific historical reference point, seem timeless. Every blessed note would fit in perfectly in a small dark coffeehouse or an arena full of folkie anarchists.

This album deserves to be heard by all: old, dedicated fans (like me), past listeners waiting for something fresh, and even people new to the scene. A Singsong And A Scrap is not tremendously indicative of the band’s catalog, but it’s so good I can't help but recommend it to anyone and everyone I know.

stacey: Lily Allen - Alright, Still...

During a few driving excursions this year, something odd happened to me -- I craved cheap, mainstream pop. I hungrily fondled the radio dial on several occasions, reaching extreme heights of joy upon finding Gavin DeGraw, Nick Lachey and old Natalie Imbruglia. Needless to say, this worried me and I found myself questioning my very elitist-indie-fuck existence. Mid-soul search, I found Lily Allen and I thought all hope was lost.

Alright, Still... is granulated pop goodness. Ms. Allen is a sassy young Brit (think a female Streets) with a sweet, sunshine-filled voice and lyrics such as "You're not big, you're not clever, no you aint a big brother, not big whatsoever" from (what else) "Not Big," a (what else) breakup song. She also tackles the age-old problem of disposing of a creep at a bar ("Knock 'em Out") and hopes her lazy, drug-addled brother can make something of his life ("Alfie"). See, she doesn't only provide important public service announcements, she also still believes the children really are our future. Lily Allen is cheeky, she is fun and perfect for those days when all you'd like to do is bob your head in a carefree manner and drive along to a listen-all-the-way-through disc. Plus, it's much better than having someone catch Nick Lachey on your stereo.

jasmine: The Lilys - Everything Wrong is Imaginary

I'm assuming that the reason Everything Wrong is Imaginary by The Lilys is not on your Top 20 is because you haven't heard it. If you have another reason, I think you might be a little slow, or you simply have poor taste in music.

Okay, enough indie snob talk. Seriously, this is a great album. It's one of those albums where you feel like a bunch of different bands are performing on one album. Sometimes they sound like a shoegaze band, sometimes a plain old indie rawk band and on track three, "A Diana's Diana," you might just think that someone's slipped a funk album onto the turntable. My only gripe about the band is that their influences are very obvious. I've noticed hints of The Pixies and just about every 60s rock band I can think of. I hope you kick yourself, Hip-D staff, for keeping this album off the year-end list.

Patrick: The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

2006 was about fun music for me, and The Decemberists are the most fun (if not the best) band in America right now.

Hyperbole aside, they have put out four incredibly consistent full-lengths in the last five years, and while the current disc, The Crane Wife, lacks some of the originality of the 2002 debut, it is a much better listen overall than any of the previous releases. Gone are many of the shanties, pirates and villains, but the excellent storytelling and simple, yet continuously original, melodies remain.

Colin Meloy shares with Stephen Morrissey the quality of being either intolerable or phenomenal, considering your personal preference. I can see how one could have difficulty stomaching Meloy's nasal warble and tendency to wax poetic about 16th century Belgium, but I find a subtlety and innocence within the song structure and lyrics such as:

"Waylay the din of the day
Boats bobbing in the blue of the bay
In deep far beneath all the dead sailors
Slowly slipping to sleep"

from the best track, "Summersong," just flow so well, you would swear Meloy was a West Coast rapper in a former life. We still keep some of the butchers, bakers, candlestick makers and dead sailors (as referenced above), but we also have "When The War Came," a rollicking protest song, " or "The Island," a 12:26 montage that channels Yes, ELO, Steely Dan and pretty much 70's AOR in general, but still manages to be thoroughly enjoyable and not dirge-like at all.

There's no "July, July," "Legionnaire's Lament," or "16 Military Wives," but "O, Valencia!" and the aforementioned "Summersong" do their part as anthemic pop magic. This is some of the most fun I've had listening to pop music in a while.

FT: Sloan - Never Hear the End of It

Canadian power popsters Sloan have been around forever, which is roughly equivalent to the amount of time I've spent ignoring them. I'm not really sure why it's taken so long for me to give these guys a chance, but by starting with the double-length Never Hear the End of It, I certainly chose a quality point of entry. Emphasizing the "power" in power pop, Sloan adds a healthy dose of crunchy guitar throughout much of the proceedings, while grabbing your ear with their hook-laden harmonies.

Never Hear the End of It manages to never sounding dated, while still bringing to mind the power pop heyday of the late-'70s/early-'80s. It's that timeless quality of tunes that feel just as much at home today as 25-30 years ago, which sets Sloan apart from the glut of others who are still trying to carve out a niche in this genre. Take a tip from these guys, folks, and leave it to the experts.

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #1 » Belle and Sebastian - "The Life Pursuit"

2006-12-31T06:55:00.000-08:00

For years I had purposely avoided Belle & Sebastian as if every last ounce of my testosterone depended on it, scared away by the two terms most commonly used when describing their music: twee and fey. But once I finally heard them, the first time I listened to The Life Pursuit, I was pleased to find their music had enough elements of funk, glam and pub rock to keep my testicles from detaching themselves from my person in search of a manlier owner.

The back-to-back punch of "White Collar Boy" and "The Blues Are Still Blue" are fantastic enough to put on endless loop for hours on end. And there are also several other superb standout tracks, including the irresistably catchy "Sukie in the Graveyard" and the retro-sounding "Funny Little Frog." From start to finish, there's so much to like here it's actually compelled this former hater to start obtaining their back catalog.

-- FT

FT's Favorite Track: "The Blues Are Still Blue"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

jasmine (#3)
Darrin Frew (#6)
FT (#6)
Patrick (#6)
Yail Bloor (#10)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #2 » M. Ward - "Post-War"

2006-12-30T05:58:00.000-08:00

M. Ward makes records that sound like he just wandered in off the street with a few friends and hit the record button, but what would feel lazy and unfocused in less confident hands comes off like a tutorial in old-school songwriting. With that said, Post-War is a record full of textures, with M. Ward's grainy and brushed voice cooing, rasping with a clipped echo lending it a nostalgic lightness of touch. Covering themes of madness, doubt, loss and remembering it could be a glum navel-gazing fest, in Ward's hands there's always a sense of optimism in the country-blues flow of chords and the pull and push of organic instrumentation.

I think the album passes almost more quickly than I'd like, but lends itself so well to a repeat or two. Post-War feels familiar and terribly personal, but refreshing and entirely, wonderfully new. On a negative note, there's a bit of Starbucks gloss to this record, a too-easy-to-like quality that may at first put off serious listeners and music heads. That evaporates pretty quickly, though, as you recognize that its lucid simplicity, its artful artlessness is not a trick, but an achievement. M. Ward's Post-War is, easily, my favorite record of the year.

-- Chris

Chris's Favorite Track: "Poison Cup"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

Chris (#1)
Darrin Frew (#1)
stacey (#4)
Yail Bloor (#9)
Patrick (#18)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #3 » Drive-By Truckers - "A Blessing and a Curse"

2006-12-29T07:23:00.000-08:00

This album is my #5 of the year, based solely on The Truckers' name only. I have been kicking around some riff about The Truckers being "My New OutKast," because they have grown up with me with each release. And, like TEH 'KAST, they have lost me a little on this one. This album is almost Adult Contemporary. I like all the songs, but none of them have the "immediacy'"of all the releases since SRO. And the themes are blunted by the Fleetwood Mac-esque production. I have not seen any of these songs live, so I may be off, but a lot of them sound like filler, or mid-tempo songs that could be a good break between the hard rockin and the slow burners.

If that Isbell song about his friend The Marine were on here, I could justify my ranking of this, but as of now I almost can't, I love several songs ("Gravity's Gone," "Easy on Yourself," "February 14th," "World of Hurt") but where's TEH RAWK?!!? I know this is a strange review for an album rated so high by me and the collective, but after running through it 3-4 times driving around Texas, it's my honest opinion.

-- Loog

Loog's Favorite Track: "Gravity's Gone"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

Yail Bloor (#1)
Loog (#5)
Elvis Fu (#8)
stacey (#11)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #4 » The Strokes - "First Impressions of Earth"

2006-12-28T07:13:00.000-08:00

Say what you will about The Strokes, and some Sufjan who breaks out in a rash at the mere mention of straight-ahead rock and roll will tell you that they haven't put out anything worth listening to since 2001's Is This It. The thing is, The Strokes don't have a very intricate formula for making music. Just add two parts rock-solid rhythm section to a dose of half-jangly and half-driving rock guitar, then submerge in a tub of "Too Cool for School."

First Impressions of Earth is another damn good rock record from the boys from NYC. The band seems to have taken the critical beatdown from 2003's Room on Fire, the best Strokes release to date, to heart. With glossier production than the previous efforts, the band shows that while they may act too cool to care, they aren't short on talent and want you to know it. Even lead singer Julian Casablancas has pulled the turtleneck off his mouth and reaches to newer plateaus with his voice, including the oft-noted ode to Manilow in "Razorblade." First Impressions experiments with mood swings and more tempo changes than Room on Fire, but don't be mistaken. It's a Strokes record. A little long, but still a Strokes record.

-- Elvis Fu

Elvis Fu's Favorite Track: "Ize of the World"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

Loog (#2)
Yail Bloor (#4)
Elvis Fu (#7)
Darrin Frew (#18)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #5 » The Long Winters - "Putting the Days to Bed"

2006-12-27T07:03:00.000-08:00

So, we all know that The Long Winters are a turgid (thanks, Dad) band fronted by a total prick (thanks, Jasmine). But man, are they intricate. On Putting the Days to Bed, the third full-length from the ever-changing Seattle quartet, John Roderick and Co. return with their quizzical brand of indie rock and one-liners, bathed in a sea of cacaphonous...nay, orchestral string accompaniments...

Oh, never mind. It's guitar, drums, bass and the occasional keyboard. The riffs are short and sweet ("Rich Wife" has maybe the best 12-note guitar part I heard all year) and the lyrics are occasionally perplexing and always amusing. There's nothing even close to monotonous on this disc and they've thrown in enough minor key changes and just the tiniest amount of dissonance in the melody to keep from lulling you to sleep with music that, without the subtle quirks, could easily be perceived as boring or "same as all the rest."

"Teaspoon", the third track on the album, has just the right blend of warm-up, with the soundcheck-style intro that explodes into a mess of horns and high hat at the chorus. You'll find that most of the LW tracks are like that, just a bit off, without being outright weird. You can sing to them, dance to them, even play them at parties. Much like Fountains Of Wayne, they probably are a little more cerebral than they appear, but with songs like "Ultimatum" and the aforementioned "Rich Wife", they dont have to impress us with their intellect. This is easily some of the most fun I've had listening to a record in a while.

-- Patrick

Patrick's Favorite Track: "Teaspoon"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

jasmine (#2)
FT (#3)
Patrick (#12)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #6 » Lucero - "Rebels, Rogues and Sworn Brothers"

2006-12-26T07:46:00.000-08:00

The following is an excerpt republished from Elvis Fu's 7/26/2006 review (because Loog one a them DUMB and missed DAT DEADLINE):

Throw Steve Earle in a blender with Bruce Springsteen, The Band, The Replacements and Social Distortion. Add some whiskey and puree.

Some people felt let down by 2005's Nobody's Darlings, especially as a follow up to That Much Further West. In the band documentary Dreaming in America, songwriter/lead vocalist Ben Nichols explains that he was ready to make a real Rock and Roll record, a departure from the more sprawling, country flavored albums that that preceded Nobody's Darlings.

Rebels, Rogues and Sworn Brothers is a leap further away from Uncle Tupelo-style introspective ruminating in favor of shameless ambition, which has already been compared to early Bruce Springsteen.

Nichols is out to prove himself with this record. Moreso than the prior releases, this album is driven by balls out ego and the results are fantastic. This is a Rock Record, first and foremost. It's driving, it's loud, it's messy in places, and it's a damn fun ride, even though you can picture yourself losing a limb or an eye in spots.

The lead track is "What Else Would You Have Me Be", a heartfelt plea of hard living lovers, half of which have appear to have taken on a less eventful lifestyle. "I'd take you out at night," begs Nichols, "buy you cigarettes and whiskey drinks / always ended up in some fight, isn't that how good love is supposed to be / you used to love me, drunk and running wild in the streets / how else would you have me be". Adding piano as it frantically climaxes, it tapers back down before leaping into the quickly paced, "I Don't Wanna Be the One", adding "I don't wanna be the one who wants you so damn much / I don't wanna be the one, who's running out of luck".

After the pretty straightforward Lucero number, "San Francisco", the doors are blown off with "I Can Get Us Out of Here Tonight", a Born to Run-style anthem that does just damn fine without Big Man cranking out a sax solo. One of the finest pure rock songs I've heard in a long time, period.

You can catch your breath a bit with the next two tracks, but then "The Mountain" mixes a little twang, organ and big drums to pull a page out of the Drive By Truckers' playbook: "My daddy lost most everything / on horses, whiskey and weddin' rings". "The Mountain" also introduces a shift in sound for the record. It sounds modern, yet slightly dated, in the way that I expected the last Sleater-Kinney to sound after reading all the reviews proclaiming a big 1970s rock sound. I didn't buy it with Sleater-Kinney, but this is very real. "The Mountain" has a break with a soaring guitar/organ break that would make Robbie Robertson & Garth Hudson proud.

Next up is "Sing Me No Hymns", the king hell monster that's a stubborn wall shaker with huge guitars that immediately make me think of Blue Oyster Cult's "Godzilla", albeit a Godzilla frustrated by failure, half cranked on plastic jug whiskey swatting away the good samaritans with "of all the things that I feel that need be done / to pay back what I owe, for all the blood and lost ones / till I feel the proper time has come, leave me be and let me drink / I need no more of your good intentions."

"She's Just That Kind of Girl" adds the organ to a Replacements-style rocker before Nichols settles the album to a close with "On the Way Back Home" and "She Wakes When She Dreams".

Though he gets overly raspy in places, even to the point of sounding like Shane MacGowan in spots, Ben Nichols continues to grow as a songwriter, and he seems to be composing with more confidence and expectations than before. If only parents would stop pussying up our children with shit like Death Cab for Cutie, we could make Lucero some obscene amounts of money in exchange for their hard work.

-- Elvis Fu

Elvis Fu's Favorite Track: "Sing Me No Hymns"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

Elvis Fu (#1)
Loog (#3)
Yail Bloor (#14)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #7 » Mogwai - "Mr. Beast"

2006-12-25T08:21:00.001-08:00

Mogwai have been undergoing something of a creative resurgence in recent years after several disappointing follow-ups to that post-rock touchstone of their own creation, Young Team. But while it may have been something of an albatross around their necks initially, several devastating EPs, one of the top albums of 2004 (Happy Music For Happy People) and a mind-blowing collection of live Peel sessions issued last year, have since proved that Mogwai have much more to offer than a cracking debut. Mr Beast, this year’s release, continued that heartening trend, if in a noticeably subtler manner.

Not that you'd know from listening to "Glasgow Mega Snake," as it crushes the listener beneath heavy coils before finally polishing them off with terrifying bursts of power from its reptilian muscle; it was the musical equivalent of a life or death struggle with a boa constrictor. And "We're No Here," as well as showcasing the best of Scottish grammar, was genuinely apocalyptic, a portent of the final five minutes of sound on Earth as fire and feedback rains from the sky.

But while these typically Mogwai-esque noise bombs book ended the album, most of the content was far less cochlea threatening. "Travel is Dangerous" owed more than a little to the distinctly not scary (and criminally underrated) Zephyrs, albeit a Zephyrs "volume-ated." "Team Handed" sounded like easy listening for people with nicotine stained artex ceilings, burn holes in the carpet and several serious assaults on their record -- essentially chill out music for exhausted Begbies. "I Chose Horses" was a gentle thank you to the Japanese post-rock contingent they have most influenced, and "Acid Food" actually sounded, well, nice.

For Mr Beast, Mogwai have taken their quiet/loud template and halved it down the middle for intelligent effect.

-- Darrin Frew

Darrin Frew's Favorite Track: "We're No Here"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

stacey (#2)
jasmine (#5)
Darrin Frew (#12)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #8 » Josh Ritter - "The Animal Years"

2006-12-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

I admit it, I am a folkie whore. Even worse than that, I am a male singer/songwriter whore. Yes, if there's a penis and guitar involved, I will most likely dig it. Furthermore, if I'm at a show featuring a penis and guitar, I will most likely rush the stage and dry hump them. It's an endearing quirk of mine. So, when I heard Josh Ritter was putting out a new disc in 2006, I knew I would buy it without hearing a single note. I also knew I would once again become a sucker. See, while I've always liked Josh Ritter, he has previously been rather standard guy and guitar material for me. I ate it up while it was playing, but often forgot it was there if it wasn't in front of me begging for my panties.

With The Animal Years, Josh Ritter has risen from the (very full) grave of listened-to-once singer/songwriters my CD collection houses, to beyond the pearly gates where my most beloved penises and guitars happily frolic every tear-stained day. Lyrically, Ritter has become much more of a storyteller. Statements are made, but in the same, unassuming, simple voice Ritter fans are used to. Each song has subtle undertones of musical growth and arrangements, broadening his folk/Americana background, but never abandoning it; something not heard in his previous discs. Even the nearly ten-minute song "Thin Blue Flame," which builds and falls and builds, is beautifully understated. It is his centerpiece, yet doesn't feel as though it's 9+ minutes at all. If this is the beginning of a new, more ambitious Josh Ritter, he may just become King of the Penises and Guitars.

-- stacey

stacey's Favorite Track: "Girl in the War"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

stacey (#1)
Patrick (#1)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #9 » Destroyer - "Rubies"

2006-12-23T07:19:00.000-08:00

With his latest album, Destroyer's Rubies, Canada's most musically prolific Spanish expatriate delivered what very well may go down as his masterwork. Fortified by his uniquely identifiable lyrical architecture, which somehow manages to be simultaneously cryptic and accessible, Dan Bejar also delivers the musical wallop that was missing from his previous release as Destroyer, the jarringly synthetic Your Blues.

Equal parts literate and decadent, Rubies rides a maelstrom of piano and guitar across ten standout tracks, including the strongest trifecta of songs on a single album in recent memory: "Your Blood," with its jaunty singalong chorus; "European Oils," which also seemingly begs the listener to raise a stein and join the refrain; and "Painter in Your Pocket," which is propelled by some of the most hypnotically primal drumming since Van Halen's "Everybody Wants Some." This fantastic sonic journey continues all the way through the album closer, "Sick Priest Learns to Last Forever," which gives the listener an idea of what it might have sounded like if Bob Dylan joined The Rolling Stones back in the '70s before becoming "born again."

Miles better than anything he's previously done over a career already containing several noteworthy high points, Destroyer's Rubies truly is a treasure chest full of Dan Bejar's most valuable musical gems.

-- FT

FT's Favorite Track: "Sick Priest Learns to Last Forever"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

FT (#1)
Patrick (#2)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #10 » Calexico - "Garden Ruin"

2006-12-22T07:22:00.000-08:00

Garden Ruin opens with "Cruel," a mid-tempo country rock number that sails along like a warm spring drive where maybe you've got a little something clouding your brain and your mind is starting to drift, right up until the 2:21 mark when "BAM" the mariachi horns kick in, and all of a sudden you press the accelerator a little harder, crank the volume a little louder, and move your seat up so you dont lose your concentration. It's like a call to worship at the church of Calexico, where style often battles substance, atmospherics often battle hooks, and frustratingly so, fragments and instrumentals often battle actual songs.

But less so, this time out.

The beauty of Garden Ruin is that Calexico seems dedicated this time out to making an entire album of pop-y songs that retain their trademark Southwest-flavored sound, yet avoid some of the more indulgent pitfalls that caused earlier records to meander and feel less than cohesive. The result is a brilliant collection of songs -- distinct, refreshing and (as always) well played -- from one of America's great musical treasures.

-- Yail Bloor

Yail Bloor's Favorite Track: "Bisbee Blue"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

Yail Bloor (#3)
jasmine (#7)
Elvis Fu (#18)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #11 » Built To Spill - "You In Reverse"

2006-12-21T07:19:00.000-08:00

Any year that releases a Built To Spill album is a good year. A band that shapes such wonderful, sometimes indescribable, auras of sonic goodness is few and far between. Doug Martsch’s brilliant guitar work and unique voice create a distinct sound that is unmistakably Indie Rock ™. That being said, though, the band really has covered a lot of ground over the years: fast-paced fuzz pop, prog-ish endurance-testing jams, mellow ballads, and everything in between. However, these sounds tended to come at us one album at a time. You In Reverse has changed that.

“Goin’ Against Your Mind” avalanches right out of the gate, while “Traces” shifts gears back to softer pace. “Conventional Wisdom” is an epic jam, and “Mess With Time” awakens your insides electro-shock style. I don’t want to say that Built To Spill has taken everything that was good about their old albums and rolled them into one – that would be just too good – my head would implode or something. This is something else. This is a veteran band proving that they still got it, while at the same time, showing you that it was never something singular – a man and his guitar can make you see all the sides of sound, You In Reverse is the passport to that exhibition.

-- Mark H.

Mark H.'s Favorite Track: "Goin' Against Your Mind"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

Yail Bloor (#2)
stacey (#10)
Mark H. (#17)

Hip D Podblast » The BlooGAR Show » Vol. 7

2006-12-20T15:19:00.000-08:00

Fresh off his recent wedding and just in time for the holidays, the Senator popped into the Redlands studios for a brand new show. Musical selections:

Young Jeezy - "I Luv It"
Cold War Kids - "We Used To Vacation"
Girl Talk - "Too Deep"
Babyshambles - "Fuck Forever"
Warren Zevon - "Dirty Life And Times"

We'll try and squeeze one more out before 2007; in the meantime we hope everybody has a happy and safe Christmas or whatever.

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #12 » Dirty on Purpose - "Hallelujah Sirens"

2006-12-20T07:29:00.000-08:00

So, I'm pretty sure this album is going to bore me or haunt me, and either way I wont be pleased. I wasn't crazy about this NYC quartet's first EP, Sleep Late For A Better Tomorrow, but I thought I'd at least give this one a try.

What a good choice that was.

Hallelujah Sirens is by no means groundbreaking or inventive. In fact, it downright plagiarizes Yo La Tengo, Of Montreal and Smashing Pumpkins, to name a few. This album seems as much a tribute to the Shoegazers of yore as something new. But, it is fresh. Guitars jangle, but they aren't in your face. Harmonies resonate, but often just out of tune. "No Radio" opens the disc, and it provides an upbeat narrative, complete with horns. "The sun came up, and we left home," sings one of the vocalists (all share lead vocal duties) and you just feel the song build on itself, as layer after layer is added. "Lake Effect" hushes the vocals nearly to a painful whisper, practically, but hits home. "Better to go far away. Better to back up your threats than stay. Better to go while the goin's OK."

The best song on the disc (definition: my favorite) is actually the one that sounds the least like the rest of them. "Marfa Lights" spends about a minute as a nice piano piece with some tinkling chimes and whatnot, before breaking into a Mountain Goats-meets-Ride explosion (relatively so) of fuzzy guitar and machine-gun drums. These guys (and the occasional girl) pride themselves on their collaborative craftsmanship and DIY production, and that effort really comes through. If you like songs that are meticulously produced to sound as though they were thrown together, this album is for you.

An interview in The Deli described the album better than I could: "Dirty on Purpose build songs, yes, but first they build moments. Nearly every track on Hallelujah Sirens has some kind of clarifying moment where all the pieces snap into place and the song elevates to a place beyond. Some of them lasting only a few seconds, these moments are what come to define the album."

This is a good start to what I hope is a long career.

-- Patrick

Patrick's Favorite Track: "Marfa Lights"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

stacey (#3)
Patrick (#5)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #13 » Jarvis Cocker - "Jarvis"

2006-12-19T07:40:00.000-08:00

Even though Jarvis Cocker hasn't shut the door on a Pulp reunion, Jarvis certainly seems to be his way of separating himself from the band that he fronted for nearly 25 years. From the arrow pointing to him looking back at something on the album's cover, to the plentiful orchestral arrangements, there are several signs that this isn't meant to be We Love Life's successor. (Although, its sound is quite reminiscent of We Love Life.) Now, that isn't to say Jarvis is suddenly anything less than a great songwriter. It's just that he's writing a different type of song.

On the first real track (not counting the 30-second piano bookends), "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" (originally written for Nancy Sinatra), Jarvis sings of a girl looking for love perhaps with the wrong man. In a Pulp song, this might come off as being sung scornfully by a former lover. On Jarvis, it's completely objective. Instead of essentially saying "You could've been happy with me," the message is to be happy with yourself. It's maturation for Jarvis Cocker. Even the music is rather sedate. The sparse yet stately soundscapes fill the space once occupied by heavy hooks. Only "Fat Children" really rocks out.

As a husband and father, he's no longer writing about touching girls in closets or watching them undress through windows. Themes of domestication ("Keep your family safe from harm / Get into classical music / Raise rabbits on a farm / Log on in the nighttime / Drink a half-bottle of wine") and happiness ("Outside there’s children laughing / The radio plays my favourite song / The sun is shining") make rare sincere appearances in Cocker-penned tunes, along with the usual clever jabs at society ("I had a little altercation... They wanted my brand new phone with all the pictures of the kids and the wife"). Thankfully, though, he still knows how to write dirty. Whether it's starting a song named "Disney Time" with an observation about pornography's etymology or describing the creepy men who lust after the title character on "Big Julie," Jarvis returns to his roots sporadically throughout the album.

Are you growing up? Are you finding music doesn't resonate with you the same way it once did? It's OK. As long as you aren't growing old, Jarvis is here for you.

-- Z (special correspondent pinch-hitting for jasmine*)

*jasmine is on the DL, due to emergency dental surgery. All of us here at Hip-D wish her a speedy recovery from the aforementioned procedure to repair her British teeth.

Z's Favorite Track: "Tonite"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

jasmine (#4)
Darrin Frew (#4)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #14 » The Format - "Dog Problems"

2006-12-18T07:33:00.000-08:00

“The guy from The Decemberists wishes he could be the guy from The Format,” is the note I wrote myself on my desk calendar when I started to think about how to review Dog Problems, the wonderfully engaging album from this Phoenix, Arizona band. What does that mean? I guess it means that both bands seem to try and roll a lot of different stylistic things into their music, both often feeling a little on the carnival-esque side, even -– the main difference for me, though (and the certain reason for the envy), is that Nate Reuss can actually sing and sing pretty damn well.

Most people seem to immediately cite Queen as a singular influence on Dog Problems, and while they do emulate the layered vocal harmonies, weird tempo shifts, incredibly tight playing and sparkling production, Reuss also brings a softer, personal touch to his songs (largely about a breakup) that keep them from being either robotic or schmaltzy, even as the music is going off into schizophrenic territory. And they bring the rock. And the weird keyboard hooks.

-- Yail Bloor

Yail Bloor's Favorite Track: "Time Bomb"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

Patrick (#4)
Loog (#11)
Yail Bloor (#16)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #15 » Frank Black - "Fast Man Raider Man"

2006-12-17T04:12:00.000-08:00

I wasn't really into the hip indie scene back when The Pixies ruled collegiate airwaves, so I've definitely been a Frankie-come-lately regarding the erstwhile Charles Michael Kittredge IV. But it's absolutely been a case of better late than never, as many of the former Black Francis's albums from the past several years (Black Letter Days, Show Me Your Tears) rank among my favorites from that timeframe. In fact, it wasn't until hearing last year's Honeycomb, his greatly-anticipated collaboration with some of the most legendary session players of all time, that I was finally left feeling less than enthusiastic about one of his albums.

Well, not only did he come right back this year with many of those very same musicians, but he went a step further and released a DOUBLE album. Needless to say, I was more than a little concerned I was going to have to choke down a flat double dose of Honeycomb II, but I was thrilled to learn that Fast Man Raider Man possesses all of the crackling spontaniety the by-numbers Honeycomb was so sorely lacking. As for the length, even though I've had friends tell me they'd like this much better if it were distilled down to a single album, I actually truly enjoy every last track throughout. Songs like "Johnny Barleycorn," "In the Time of My Ruin," "Kiss My Ring," "Elijah" and "It's Just Not Your Moment" are among the finest he's ever done. And in the Frank Black solo canon, including albums recorded with The Catholics, Fast Man Raider Man ranks right up among his very best. This is certainly NOT the time of Frank Black's ruin.

-- FT

FT's Favorite Track: "Kiss My Ring"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

FT (#4)
Yail Bloor (#6)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #16 » Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins - "Rabbit Fur Coat"

2006-12-16T05:55:00.000-08:00

With the release of Rabbit Fur Coat, Rilo Kiley vocalist Jenny Lewis issued an often highly personal solo debut, which tackled her confused and frequently conflicted views on, among other things, religion and parenthood.

Opening acapella "Run Devil Run" segues nicely into "The Big Guns," perhaps the most immediately ear-catching track on the album, and one which would sit happily on a Neko Case LP. "Rise Up With Fists!!" exudes more of a languid swagger than one might expect from its angry sounding title, before the hushed ballad "Happy," that, while hardly spectacular, drifts by with a delicate charm. "The Charging Sky" is a loping country tune full of befuddled religious indecision, while washed-out glissandos of synth add an ephemeral, floaty air to "Melt Your Heart."

The title track, composed simply of a plucked acoustic guitar and vocals, tells the slightly surreal, yet poignant, tale of an estranged mother, one of a number of mentions of the artist's parents. A strong last quarter of the album includes "It Wasn’t Me," a soft, twinkling ballad, simultaneously wearied and uplifting, which perhaps produces some sort of conclusion to Lewis’ thematic, album-wide dilemma (“I’ve gone and quit my worshipping of the false Gods and golden sins.”) and a distant sounding reprise of "Happy."

Released only a few weeks into 2006, Rabbit Fur Coat set the bar high for those following her.

-- Darrin Frew

Darrin Frew's Favorite Track: "The Big Guns"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

Darrin Frew (#8)
Patrick (#9)
stacey (#15)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #17 » T.I. - "King"

2006-12-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

"Make us mad, get yer ass wiped out, Thailand!"

King, the fourth release from Atlanta drawlsmith T.I., kicks off with "King Back," a not-so-surprising boast track reasserting T.I.'s self-aggrandizing royal resume. What brings the album opener to the forefront is T.I.'s laid back vocal style, unaffected by the urgency of the smoothed-out '70s porn groove -— complete with horns and Justice League action sound effects. The driving force behind King is the swagger that the diminutive T.I. is more than comfortable delivering. "What You Know" brings it big, with fat synthesizers; "I'm Talking To You" is a bruising, shit-talking tirade escorted by blaring horns under a more frantic vocal style; and street anthems "Ride Wit Me," "Top Back" and "I'm Straight" (featuring BG and Young Jeezy) that are as much fun as the tracks from The Chronic we were playing entirely too loud back in high school. To shake up the tempo and encourage some ass-shakin, "Why You Wanna" lifts and repackages a cheeseball loop from Crystal Waters' minor 1991 hit about a homeless lady, "Gypsy Woman."

The main drawback to King is its length: 18 tracks over 75 minutes is a bit much. If would have been even better had T.I. cut a few of the slower duds, especially "Live in the Sky" featuring Jamie Foxx (*groan*), which is little more than the obligatory "Tha Crossroads" send-up about gettin' your coke=slingin' ass past St. Peter when you get got like Bodie Broadus. On the other hand, as prevalent and painfully unfunny skits have become on hip-hop albums, "The Breakup" with Mike Epps and Malieka is actually funny.

-- Elvis Fu

Elvis Fu's Favorite Track: "King Back"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

Loog (#1)
elvis Fu (#10)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #18 » Jerry Lee Lewis - "Last Man Standing"

2006-12-14T07:30:00.000-08:00

First and foremost, let me get this out of the way: The fact that Elvis, Roy, Carl, and Johnny are dead, Lewis' nickname is "The Killer," and his latest release is entitled Last Man Standing is purely coincidence! Even more fascinating though, is that this new album features Jimmy Page, Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen, and a whole slew of über-stars, and Lewis makes their contributions seem inconsequential. Ponder that for a moment. This album contains 13, (THIRTEEN!) other members of the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame, and Jerry Lee Lewis snuffs 'em all out as if they were Galactus to his Beyonder.

A handful of tunes are rockabilly standards (you can't keep a hit like "Sweet Little Sixteen" down), but the rest of the 21-song tracklist -- culled from the vaults of classic rock, country, boogie woogie, and blues -- are reinvented and reinvigorated through Lewis' pumpin' piano and miraculously tireless rock'n'roll howl. Songs that used to have a signature sound (Led Zep’s “Rock And Roll,” The Beatles’s “I Saw Her Standing There”) are given a fiery breath of fresh air. An unfortunate, but true, fact of the music world is that comeback albums rarely succeed. I'm pleased to present the "Exception to the Rule Award" for 2006.

-- Mark H.

Mark H.'s Favorite Track: "Rock and Roll (with Jimmy Page)"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

Loog (#7)
Yail Bloor (#8)
Mark H. (#18)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #19 » La Rocca - "The Truth"

2006-12-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

I rarely trust the opinions of others when it comes to music. I doubt that most people have the awesome taste in music that I have. So, when some guys in a message board chat room were talking about La Rocca’s The Truth, I put off listening to it. “It’s probably guy music and it probably sucks,” is what played over and over in my head. Eventually, I gave in and downloaded the bastard. And you know what? It’s a fantastic straight ahead, no frills pop/rock album. Sometimes compared to Keane, no doubt because of their piano-driven songs, I hear sounds of The Rolling Stones, Jayhawks and Supergrass.

The Truth opens with “Sketches (20 Something Life).” The song starts off with a little bass, then a little drum, then the piano kicks in, and with a big old rock star, “YEAH!,” the song kicks into full gear. Before you know it, you’re balls deep in a perfect pop song. Plenty of other songs evoke the same excitement, such as “This Life” and “Eyes While Open.” On the other end of the spectrum are some great tunes which make you want to sit back with a few beers and some good friends. The title track sounds like their tribute to Mick Jagger, but also might be an apology from the singer for lying to his lady friends. And closing the album is “Capitol Pill,” a beautiful song which is quite reminiscent of Whiskeytown.

-- jasmine

jasmine's Favorite Track: "Sing Song Sung"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

jasmine (#6)
Loog (#9)
Yail Bloor (#19)

Hip-D Top 20 of 2006 » #20 » The Black Keys - "Magic Potion"

2006-12-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

"Dirty", "crunchy", "gritty", "rock and roll!" [\m/]. The Black Keys have quickly become one of those bands I will buy a new release from sound unheard. When I listen to them, I get the urge to turn the lights off and dance in some sort of erratic manner...possibly in my underwear. They don't generally veer from their niche (groaning, sneering vocals, fuzzy guitars, menacing drums), but why would they when it all works so well?

On Magic Potion, The Black Keys keep on keepin' on, but even more smoothly than before. As my brother put it, "it's like the drums and the guitar are one instrument." There's everything from the occasional ballad ("You're the One") to the downright catchy ("Modern Times"), but it's all unmistakably simple and oh-so Black Keys. They may not be groundbreaking, but they know their strengths, work with what they have, and manage to entertain this scantily-clad bedroom dancer with each release.

-- stacey

stacey's Favorite Track: "Modern Times"

This album appeared on the following staffers's lists:

stacey (#8)
FT (#10)
Elvis Fu (#16)

FT » Music » The 2006 Top 20 Is Coming!

2006-12-09T18:03:00.000-08:00

Starting on Tuesday, December 12, we will unveil Hip-D's Top 20 Albums of 2006. To maximize suspense, we will post one album per day, beginning with #20 on 12/12 all the way up to #1 on New Year's Eve.

And as a bonus, each Hip-D staffer will spotlight their own personally highest-ranked album that did not make the Hip-D Top 20. Giving everyone their own axe to grind is truly in the spirit of the Festivus season, don't you think? Frank Costanza would be proud of our "Airing of Grievances."

Here's the upcoming schedule of events:

Tuesday, December 12: #20
Wednesday, December 13: #19
Thursday, December 14: #18
Friday, December 15: #17
Saturday, December 16: #16
Sunday, December 17: #15
Monday, December 18: #14
Tuesday, December 19: #13
Wednesday, December 20: #12
Thursday, December 21: #11
Friday, December 22: #10
Saturday, December 23: #9
Sunday, December 24: #8
Monday, December 25: #7
Tuesday, December 26: #6
Wednesday, December 27: #5
Thursday, December 28: #4
Friday, December 29: #3
Saturday, December 30: #2
Sunday, December 31: #1
Monday, January 1: "Airing of Grievances"

Elvis Fu » Music » DownloadPunk.com

2006-12-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

DownloadPunk.com is a new player on the legal music downloading scene, but the real highlight here is that the MP3 or WMA files you buy are free of DRM restrictions. From the FAQ: "By purchasing, you are authorized to use your files as you would buying a CD. Similarly, you are not authorized to duplicate and distribute the files to others." Sounds fair to me.

Now I'm well behind the curve, because I've never purchased a digital file from any online service thanks to DRM restrictions. Rites of Spring's self-titled may break my cherry, however. Pricing is par for the course. Single tracks are 79-99 cents, and full albums are $7.99-$9.99. They also plan on throwing out some specially priced comps in the future as well.

I don't listen to as much punk today as years past, so I feel pretty unqualified when trying to gauge the quality of the artist roster on DownloadPunk. The #1 Most Downloaded Artist is the Dead Kennedys, and it's obvious that Alternative Tentacles and Dischord are on board without even looking very hard. Some surprises in here, however. I'm not sure I would call The Wrens or Mark Kozelek punk, but it's nice to see that they have a wider range of offerings that it appears at first glance.

The interface is a bit clunky, but I do like that you can browse the Artists and Labels. Maybe if I actually buy something I'll report back on that process as well.

Hip D Podblast » The BlooGAR Show » Vol. 6

2006-11-30T15:56:00.000-08:00

See, we took Thanksgiving week off (actually it was mental recovery from the debacle that was Dave's bachelor party), but didn't allow ourselves to lose any steam by going into another one of those lazy exiles were it just seems like sooooo much work to cut a show. Nope, we persevered for the people. Hope you enjoy the latest edition. Musical selections:

Neil Young - "Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown" (live)
Albert Hammond Jr. - "Back To The 101"
Clipse - "Nightmares" (ft. Bilal)
Jay-Z - "Oh My God"
Kris Kristofferson - "Chase The Feeling"

I'm assuming too that the show being compressed to 128 k mp3 has made it more manageable for all since I haven't heard any complaints. Or, no one is listening.

jasmine » Film » Rocky Balboa

2006-11-29T09:14:00.000-08:00

When I received the email asking, "Do you want to see Rocky Balboa tonight? Sly's scheduled to appear.", I'd just had a long day and was feeling kind of crabby and bored. Sure, I could use a laugh, so I said yes. It's not like celebrities ever show up to these things anyway...

Rocky Balboa's not even scheduled to open in theatres until Christmas Day, so I felt privileged, even after waiting in line for a half hour and in the theatre for an hour and a half. As movie time was approaching, the buzz became a little louder about Sly showing up. I first heard that he was at his hotel, then in the building. When the camera crews came barreling into the theatre, I knew it was real. Sylvester Stallone walked into the theatre, said a few coherent, kind words and introduced his new movie.

I really thought that this was going to be a horrible, cheesy movie. Stallone wrote and directed the film and since I associate real life Stallone as being just like Balboa - a big, dumb ape with a heart of gold - I wasn't expecting much. Boy, was I wrong. Stallone's character was just how I'd imagine Rocky to be at 55+ years of age. He was out of fighting shape, slow and fairly low-key, running a restaurant named after his late wife, Adrian. He seemed like he was only interested in doing goodwill toward others and didn't have too much "tough guy" to him.

What piqued his interest in getting back to boxing was a fight simulation that ESPN computers conducted between 1970's champion Rocky and the current heavyweight champion, Mason "The Line" Dixon. Dixon's a 20-something kid with a bad attitude. He's hardly the bad guy, but there were a few moments where I thought an ass-beating would probably knock him down a few notches.

So, yeah, Rocky trained and fought Dixon in an exhibition match at the end of the movie. I won't say who won the fight, but I will say it was very anticlimactic.

Overall, I think this movie's worth seeing. If you have a son between the ages of 10 and 17, take them. It's a good dad/son movie. Enjoy.

Elvis Fu » Music » Top 40 Bands in America

2006-11-21T06:02:00.000-08:00

I'm a day late and a dollar short on this, but I'm still posting it. Information Leaf Blower has compiled their annual poll results of the Top 40 Bands in America for 2006. The criteria were simple. ILB emailed some bloggers and asked them to rank the 10 artists they covered most frequently in 2006. Foreign bands were obviously excluded. Check it out. It's not all my type of music, but I think it's a fun exercise.

If you want to see all 129 bands that were nominated, it's here.

jasmine » Music, Film, etc. » ketchup

2006-11-19T16:26:00.000-08:00

This has been an interesting year for music. Putting the Days to Bed by The Long Winters is still at the top of my list. However, I don't remember another year where I've heard so few albums that have caught my ear, yet they've really stuck with me. Guess it's quality over quantity this year.

I recently picked up Let's Get Out of This Country, the latest release from twee pop darlings, Camera Obscura. Because they're Scottish, Camera Obscura can really do no wrong in my eyes. However, I believe that it's okay to experiment with different sounds from one album to the next. Although this album is excellent for what it is, it would be nice if it didn't sound so close to their last effort, Underachievers Please Try Harder.

If you like pornography dressed up in an arthouse film costume, please proceed immediately to the nearest showing of Shortbus. The new John Cameron Mitchell film tackles the touchy subjects of finding that elusive female orgasm, open (gay) relationships, suicidal tendencies and the nature of bdsm relationships. All of the main stories are connected by a secret club in NYC called Shortbus, so named because of the likeness of its "special" or "different" users. At Shortbus, you can do whatever you want and Mitchell's definitely not afraid to show everything. So, proceed with caution. It's a sweet story with a LOT of sex.

The Shortbus soundtrack, however, totally easy on the ears and full of music that I've not heard anywhere else. Two pleasant surprises are from stars of the film. Sook Yin Lee, as Lee & LeBlanc, contributes "Beautiful"and Jay Brannan sings about being a lush who's hitting rock bottom in the poppy, "Soda Shop".

Other recent purchases:
Up Jumped the Devil - Robert Johnson; A two-disc set which I got from Tower for $5.99 (after the 40% liquidation discount!).

Jukebox Hits 1943 to 1952 - T-Bone Walker; I tortured myself a little bit with this one. The first mixtape given to me by my ex-husband had the song "I Want a Little Girl" as the first track. I haven't listened to the song in years, so I bought this album and sat down and listened to it today. Memories and emotions came flooding back, but it's worth it because I now own an amazing blues gem.

Elvis Fu » Music » Lucero in Baltimore. 14 Nov 2006

2006-11-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

The Ottobar
Opening Bands: Drag the River Trio & Rocky Votolato

Drag the River Trio turned out to be a duo, and a glance at their webisite doesn't even mention Trio. Not bad, but not terrific brand whiskey-soaked reject country-rock. They have the potential to grow into a pretty decent act, but I wasn't feeling it just yet. They had a surprisingly large crowd that was familiar with their music. Not bad for a band in from Fort Collins, Colorado. They were considerably better when the Lucero rhythm section joined them for the last couple songs. The two guitars & two vocalists set-up wasn't bad, just a bit flat. After hearing some Drag the River samples I found at Punk News , I like them a good bit more. The pedal steel helps a lot.

Rocky Votolato is from Seattle. Mr. Votolato's music is also not my cup of tea. Sensitive guy with a Telecaster and a harmonica he hasn't quite mastered yet? No thanks. All the gals with big black eXes on their hands sang along, though. I was especially displeased when he covered "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" & "Plastic Jesus". There are some tracks you can listen to over at Mr. Votolato's label, Barsuk.

The Main Event
Lucero came on around 11:30 and played for damn near two hours, loud. Good mix of new stuff & old stuff, plus some stuff I don't think I've heard before. The band seemed surprisingly sober, outside of bassist John C. Stubblefield, who was beyond inebriated. He played well though despite being up a bit too loud.

One thing that really came through is how much drummer Roy Berry really rounds out their sound. The new album showed this more than previous efforts, but live it really came though. I'm no expert nor musician, but damn I really like his playing.

I was also expecting them to be more reckless or sloppy—not in a bad way, mind you—but that wasn't the case at all. They played a lot of requests, and on a few they admitted they hadn't played them in some time, but overall they were damn solid. Some added live goodness on a Venable solo or some extra growls or whoops from Nichols keep the songs from treading anywhere near a stale replica of the recorded versions. Definite high points were two new songs, "Sing Me No Hymns" and "The Mountain". It was a nice suprise to hear "Chain Link Fence" as well.

Favorite Non-Musical Part
During a brief break between songs, Stubblefield stumbled over to the mic to say, "I just want to take the opportunity to say that I'm glad we're back in The South."

Nichols gave him a looked, and with a sly grin replied, "Well, barely."

Stubblefield yelled something (he didn't have his own mic).

Nichols replied, "Hell, I know where the Mason-Dixon Line is, and from what I can tell they put it too far North."

That cracked me up, and rankled some of the Maryland crowd. Speaking of the crowd, I haven't hung in Baltimore in a while (I live about 45 mins from The Ottobar), and god it's turning into John Waters' wildest dreams. So trashy. I'm not hip by any means, but I was surprised at the sheer number of horrible neck tattoos ("It's an eye to watch my back, yo") and young girls with full ink sleeves. No wonder the unemployment rate is 30% in some parts of the City. Jesus.

Hip D Podblast » The BlooGAR Show » Vol. 5

2006-11-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

Hey we made it back pretty quick, no? Always a pleasure to have The Senator actually in the same room. No idea what we discussed but here are the musical selections:

Jerry Lee Lewis - "Evening Gown"
Vietnam - "Priest, Poet and the Pig"
La Rocca - "If You Need The Morning"
T.I. feat. B.G. & Young Jeezy - "I'm Straight"
Jim White - "That Girl From Brownsville Texas"

Hip D Podblast » The BlooGAR Show » Vol. 4

2006-11-09T15:15:00.000-08:00

Uh hmmm. We finally got around to cutting another one of these buggers. Musical selections:

Brakes - "Mobile Communication"
Phoenix - "Lost And Found"
My Morning Jacket - "One Big Holiday"
Fontän - "Lesbian Girls"
Weezer - "Pink Triangle"

Also, I converted this to MP3 at 128 kbps so while the sound quality may not be as great (especially on the music), it should hopefully be a more manageable file size for you downloaders out there.

Darrin Frew » Music » Stephen Yerkey - Metaneonatureboy

2006-11-08T04:50:00.000-08:00

There's no shame in not having previously heard of Stephen Yerkey. You don't get much more off the music scene radar than working, as Yerkey does, in a juvenile security facility. On top of that it’s taken him 12 years to follow up his debut album 'Confidence, Man' released way back in 1994. No, the real shame would be, having been tipped off as to his existence, not to give this album the chance it deserves to impress you.

Aided by Eric Drew Feldman on production duties (PJ Harvey, Frank Black) Yerkey peddles the sort of jazzy/honky-tonky/bluesy hybrid that a more straight forward Captain Beefheart might if he teamed up with Ry Cooder and Louis Armstrong.

Split evenly between rockier numbers and slower, more atmospheric tracks, it's the latter that really stand out, although that is not intended as a slight on the up tempo bar blues of ‘Songs Put Things’ or ‘Link Wray’s Girlfriend’ which are well above average in their own right.

Highlights include 'Dark And Bloody Ground' which would sit comfortably on the 'Paris, Texas' soundtrack while 'Fall Out Of Love' could be straight out of a 1940's LA piano lounge filled with grizzled private detectives, chain smoking while they ponder, heart broken, over the Ava Gardner look-a-like that slinked into their office three weeks hence. 'Mood Swing Era' offers a late night jazz vocal that combines grooviness with an ominous, disturbing air, courtesy of woodwind interludes, that's reminiscent of The Beatles 'A Day in the Life'.

This is adult music with the weight of experience behind it and the lyrics are some of the most interesting heard in a while, particularily on ‘My Baby Loves The Western Violence’ which you suspect have been gleaned from his experiences working in a security facility.

Those looking for cheap, tinny or frantic thrills will no doubt want to look elsewhere but for those left, this twin sided peregrine of an album will no doubt find a happy home among your racks.

Mark H. » Music » The Mankins - "Spend The Night Alone"

2006-10-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

You Said It Was A Good Size! 7" Review by Mark H.
The Manikins
Spend The Night Alone 7”
Plastic Idol Records

This label just keeps pumping out the hits. And while I don’t mean to diminish Plastic Idol in any way, I’ve seen a lot more consistency with small (and even the bigger) punk labels recently. The punk blow-up of the 90s is now officially 10 years behind us (breakthroughs like Smash and Out Come The Wolves are now 11 years old – yikes!) and for a long stretch every punk band on the planet was being put to tape, even if it sounded like yaks shitting in a tunnel full of bees. Nowadays though, bands like the Manikins have room to breathe. Those jagged guitars sound fresh again, and the hooks are baited with 70s roots-punk without seeming stale.

“Spend The Night Alone” rips through the A-side like any good single should: A thumping garage rock backbeat and verses that rip like a ’63-era Beatles on double time. As good as that nugget is, “Still Afraid Of Girls” might be even better. This time the guitars bring in a little rebellious twang, the drums gallop along, and there’s a solo that’s reminiscent of a rudimentary Revered Horton Heat or even something (gasp!) non-punk like Friends of Dean Martinez. The song itself is a perplexing tune, as the lyrics are standard shy-guy fare, but the singer has a bitter and biting tone that seeps with confidence. “Take 5” is just icing. After these solid gold tracks it’s just there to remind you to flip the slab and start all over again.

Hip-D PodBlast » Staff Inflection » v2.0

2006-10-20T06:32:00.000-07:00

We have a lot of people now so that means a lot of songs and not much talking...The contributors and their contributions:

Yail Bloor: Chickisaw Mudd Puppies - "Superior"

FT: Glossary - "Poor Boy"
The pride of Murfreesboro, Tennessee are back with this killer track from their recently-released sophomore effort, For What I Don't Become. In the same "Alt-law" vein as Drive-By Truckers, Marah, The Drams and fellow Tennesseeans Lucero, Glossary proves to be more literate than most casual listening carpetbaggers are wont admit when it comes to such rough-and-tumble Southern bands. This track provides plenty of evidence of their lyrical genius, in such lines as "The night aint over ‘til everybody sins," and "I can’t promise I wont change; only a fool wants to stay the same." And they're solid musicians, to boot! There's nothing not to like here, so give it a listen and take in the all the Southern Fried goodness. -- Blurb by FT

Darrin Frew: Roddy Frame - "Shore Song"
As one of the select few to record and release material for the spellbinding Postcard label in the early 80's, Roddy Frame will always have a place close to my musical heart. That said, 'Shore Song' ,a track from Frame's sadly ignored new album, has been selected purely on merit and stands as a glittering testiment to the enduring appeal of a man, a tune and a well played acoustic guitar.--Blurb by Darrin Frew

Jasmine: Archers of Loaf - "Web In Front"
From the simple drum opening to the chaotic lead vocals over chorus closing, I can't find one thing wrong with "Web in Front" from the great Archers of Loaf debut Icky Mettle. This is one of those songs where the lyrics don't make a lot of sense ("Sampled your rust from a faucet, I know/I've got a magnet in my head/A magnet in my head/Extra thick, extra long, the way it was wasted." - what?), but the emotion in singer Eric Bachmann's voice is enough to convince me that there's a lot more to these simple lyrics. Personally, I just love singing "All I ever wanted was to be your spine!" while rocking out in my shower. I hope you love it as much as I do. And I hope Yail reads this blurb. -- Blurb by jasmine

Stacey: Hartley Goldstein - "The Mystery of George Harrison's Beard"
I picked up the 'Songs in the Key of Zoloft' ep at Kim's in St. Marks December of last year because the cover appealed to me. The cheapness (as it's only an ep) appealed to me too. Also appealing to me was the title. Oh, and what the little info sticker said on the front appealed to me as well (something about "neurotic pop and meta-folk"). Hartley Goldstein has been called the "David Sedaris of Indie rock". That might appeal to you. It may also be appealing if you like Belle and Sabastian, the Shins, Devin Davis or John Darnielle. He sings about Diane Keaton as Annie Hall sometimes. That's kind of appealing, no? -- Blurb by stacey

Elvis Fu: The Rugburns - "War"

OPA!: Beirut - "Brandenburg"

Mark H.: The Goddamn Doo Wop Band - "Rooftops of Bangor"
Oldies music was my first love, and the fact that I've yet to outgrow it like I have heavy metal and Weird Al, shows just how awesome that 1955-1963 era really was. I'm all for modern groups that milk the oldies influence (e.g. The Pipettes), but I like my modern oldies to feel and sound authentic. The God Damn Doo Wop band have the girl-group harmonies, the ramshackle rhythm section and the party-squonkin' sax - all the necessary ingredients without the artificial production sweeteners. When I listen to the GDDWB I'm not really thinking of them as a band or even as a homage; they're more like a documentation of a decades-old sound that still sounds great in 2006. -- Blurb by Mark H.

Patrick: Ass Ponys - "Astronaut"
So, I found that I liked The Long Winters, but wished they sounded a little more like Lucero. Prayers answered with this, the second track off Cleaver and Co.s fifth full-length, 2000's "Some Stupid With A Flare Gun". So good... -- Blurb by Patrick

Loog: George Jones - "If Drinking Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)"
George Jones was JAIL before I knew the meaning of the word. He's drunk more whickey, slain more gash, played more shows in the Donald Duck voice, and gotten more DUIs on riding lawn mowers after his wife hid the keys to all 7 of his cars, than you've beat your meat to Jenna Jamison. Yet, after all that, The Voice remains, and the songs are still some of the best things going TODAY. This song should hit anyone whose ever drowned the sorrows of a break up right in the gut. -- Blurb by Loog

We'll be back much sooner. I promise.

Chris » Music » Blonde Redhead - "Misery is a Butterfly"

2006-10-09T14:26:00.000-07:00

What is this obsession I have with Blonde Redhead?

Over two years after it’s official release, I still listen to Misery Is A Butterfly, at least, twice a week and has become, without a doubt, my favorite album of all-time. Or perhaps, it‘s not the band I'm obsessed with. Perhaps it’s the album.

I have this ritual of sorts every time I visit a record store. I make it a point to seek out the B’s in the Pop/Rock section simply to take a peek at my favorite album. Considering that I already own Misery Is A Butterfly, I still feel the need to pick it up and look at it. I’d prefer not to think what would happen if I, one day, walked into a store only to find that they’ve sold out of it. I must make sure to have my inhaler with me on that particular day.

I went one step further a few months ago when I actually bought a brand new sealed copy of the album for safe keeping. I don’t plan on opening it, and even though I’ll never listen to this particular copy, it still makes me smile, just knowing that I own it.

On mixes that I make, I must have a song from Misery Is A Butterfly included on all of them. It could be an all-international or strictly flamenco mix, and there is Doll Is Mine or Falling Man, once again, perplexing the listener.

Why do I do it? It comforts me.

Sometimes I think I’d even have sex with Kazu Makino, and I had sworn to myself that I’d never have sex with a woman again. But Kazu is different. To me, she’s become the voice in my head. A beautiful voice.

I keep reassuring myself that everyone has an album they’re obsessed with. As obsessed as I am, I don’t quite know for sure, but I’d like to think so. It’s just an innocent love affair with a special friend. And I’m alright with that.

Blonde Redhead Discography
Misery Is A Butterfly (2004)
Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons (2000)
Melodie Citronique EP (2000)
In An Expression Of The Inexpressible (1998)
Fake Can Be Just As Good (1997)
La Mia Vita Violenta (1995)
Blonde Redhead (1995)

Website: www.blonde-redhead.com

jasmine » Music » The Long Winters Concert Review

2006-10-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

"my arms miss you, my hands miss you"

Guess who saw the Long Winters Friday night?

ME!

From the minute that I read the Long Winters were coming to Chicago, I was happy like a little kid. I listened to my two LW records and memorized all the lyrics. Then, my excitement fizzled. Subterranean is a horrible venue and John Roderick is a grade A prick.

First of all, Subterranean. Why anyone outside of a shitty local band plays Subterranean is beyond me. The set-up is horrible... music's on the second floor, and bathrooms are on the third floor (first floor is frequented by THEM). The sound is absolutely abominable and the sound people seem to be a little on the slow side. So, that's the first gripe.

Second gripe: John Roderick, singer and primary songwriter for the Long Winters and former member of Harvey Danger, is a jerk. One of my biggest pet peeves is being belittled by a band that has taken $12.50 from me. You come to my city and talk to me like I'm the asshole. You're the one playing a shitty venue. Anyway, he mentioned the crowd drinking their "pink cocktails" and even called a guy out for checking his cell phone. Well, Mr. Roderick, perhaps if you talked a little less, the crowd wouldn't lose attention. Just a suggestion. When he was told that he had 25 minutes until curfew, he complained about the curfew instead of tearing through more songs.

Personal attacks over. Let's get to the music.

They brought the rock in a big way. To my surprise, it was an all request show. I was skeptical at first, hoping to God that this wasn't a crowd of morons who only know one song. John and the guys opened with Fire Island, AK, which was to be expected since it's off their latest release Putting the Days to Bed (2006). Somehow, though, the no set list set list became extremely enjoyable. They performed most of When I Pretend to Fall (2003), and I was a happy girl. Highlights from WIPtF include Stupid (singer Sean Nelson of Harvey Danger and formerly the Long Winters provides vocals on the recorded version) and Scared Straight. And of course, the icing on the cake was Ultimatum.

So, I'm giving the show one thumb up (music!) and one thumb down (shithead bandleader and rough venue). Catch them if you can!

Hip-D PodBlast » Mixer » Inspired by TV's "Lost"

2006-10-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

While WinAmp was rolling through some random tracks earlier today, a certain song (one of those listed below, in fact) set off the lightbulb above my head to try and put together a Mixer with nothing but songs that could be loosely associated with the hit ABC TV series Lost.

As you'll hear, some of these tracks fit the theme perfectly, while others are a complete reach. Regardless, I hope you have as much fun listening to it as I had putting it together.

If nothing else, maybe it will help satisfy your Lost urges until the next episode airs...

"Plane Crash" - Toadies
"Marooned" - The Webb Brothers
"Jack Never Crashes" - The Deathray Davies
"James" - Josh Rouse
"Shannon" - Volebeats
"Lottery" - Damien Jurado
"O Claire" - Cheap Trick
"Charlie Freak" - Steely Dan
"Smoke Signal" - The Band
"Michael" - Franz Ferdinand
"Do You Remember Walter?" - The Kinks
"Give My Love to Rose" - Johnny Cash
"Ana Lucia" - Sloan
"Desmond Don't Go" - Daryll-Ann
"The Closets of Henry" - Guided by Voices
"From My Own True Love (Lost at Sea)" - The Decemberists

Mark H. » Music » The AV Club - "S/T"

2006-10-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

"I Should Have Said Something Before"
Late Reviews By Mark H.

The AV Club
S/T
(Knock Knock/Insubordination)

After seeing this band play an awesome live set I had a brief discussion with bassist Jon. After lauding him with my own personal praises I also mentioned that my wife Jessica really enjoyed the set. Jon revealed that the band themselves have discovered that they are a good “couples” band. After listening to the album a few hundred times I’m in complete agreement. The AV Club is a good “couples” band. They’re a good first date band. They’re a good old lovers band. They are a band for people who are, have been, or will be in a relationship. I think it’s important to note that I’d recommend this disc to such a wide audience, because this is truly one of those albums that I believe everyone should hear – it’s a wonderful release, despite the unfortunate negative connotations that go with the words directly below.

The A/V Club’s self-titled debut is an incredibly safe, inarguably accessible pop/rock album. Every single song rocks along in a pleasing, harmless, manner. Kids of the 90s who look fondly on the angst-less Lemonheads radio days will eat this up. The (albeit aging) hipsters who remember when Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers were cool will soak this in. Any number of songs from this disc could fit right on the shelf with those countless “feel good hit of the summer” singles. This trio should be on the cover of Unthreatening Boys Monthly.

Just had to get that out of my system. “Sweethearts At 17” and “Girl From Mars” is my favorite one-two opening punch since I can’t remember when. Gobs of hooks and harmonies, streams of melodic lines that flow like wine coolers. The ballad “Degrees Of Grey” and the peppier “Lost My Head” clue us into a main distinction between the AV Club and, say, the likes of the Gin Blossoms/Soul Asylum/Counting Crows/Goo Goo Dolls/insert similar alt-rock band in their 90s form. All those bands had mopey-sounding, and overall lazy singers, whereas vocalist Aaron sings with a bright, natural voice, capable of controlling the pop when it alters slightly from reminiscent to melancholy.

“Midnight Bus” is a great “don’t leave me” plea, and “Trouble Girls” is a bonafide party anthem with a nice, swervy chorus hook and a rockingness almost approaching Figgs territory. “Without You” keeps the tempo going on the quick side, probably the closest this band has come to anything closely resembling pop punk. The riff actually reminds me of something on the Queers’ “Don’t Back Down” (which is a good thing). “Don’t Take That Part Of Me” has me thinking Charlie Brown Gets A Valentine-lite (sorry, guys!) More melodic charm comes through with “Everybody Sees My Love” and the album closer “Crazy Circles”, which is the song that should rightfully close the set. Despite the creepy lyrics, it’ll leave you swaying with your girl (or boy), moving with the groove and getting ready to walk home to bed.

As I bounce from webzine to blog to wherever my words end up, I try to point those who bother to pay attention to very specific bands and hidden mix-tape gems. Much to the A/V Club’s credit, they are getting recommendations across the board. Everyone should own this.

Hip-D PodBlast » Mixer » "These Minstrels Will Soothe My Jangled Nerves"

2006-09-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

For my second Mixer, I thought it would be fun to see what it might be like if I were the Program Director at a "Classic Rock" station. Because instead of playing all the same tired old hits, I'd find some quality stuff by artists you just THOUGHT you were tired of hearing, and prove they're still worth spinning, after all. Or, in a few instances, great solo tracks by members of legendary bands.

Here's the tracklisting:

"Hey, I Think They Liked Us!"
The Rolling Stones - "Live With Me"
Van Halen - "So, This Is Love?"
The Pursuit of Happiness - "Ten Fingers"
David Gilmour - "Blue Light"
The Church - "Reptile"
Payola$ - "Eyes of a Stranger"
Alice Cooper - "Grim Facts"
ZZ Top - "Pearl Necklace"
Michael Penn - "Free Time"
The Police - "Canary in a Coalmine"
Joe Walsh - "Happy Ways"
Jerry Jeff Walker - "Sangria Wine"
Van Morrison - "Blue Money"
Buffalo Springfield - "Good Time Boy"
Steppenwolf - "Everybody's Next One"
Steve Miller & Paul McCartney - "My Dark Hour"
Joe 'King' Carrasco and The Crowns - "Let's Get Pretty"
Jerry Harrison/Casual Gods - "Never Let It Slip"
Robert Plant - "Pledge Pin"
Neil Young - "Pressure"
R.E.M. - "Low Desert"
Pete Townshend - "Jools and Jim"
The Ramones - "Teenage Lobotomy"
"We Need Another Vietnam"

Patrick » Music » Alt-Country

2006-09-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if anyone knows who coined the term, 'alt-country', but it's fairly easy to tell who the earliest influences were: individual singer-songwriters who fell just slightly outside of the box of traditional country music. Gram Parsons was in the box for the most part, but always seemed to have one foot out, ready jump. Townes Van Zandt would also prove to be considered a luminary in the field. Guy Clark, Joe Ely and Jimmie Dale Gilmore would further explore the boundaries of country music, and Steve Earle would help to infuse a 'rock' sound with Guitar Town, in 1986. Dylan, Springsteen, and Beggar's Banquet-era Stones also remain major influences.

Substances destroyed Parsons and did the same to Van Zandt. No doubt we've seen Ely, Clark and Earle impaired more often than not, but herein lies the tragic beauty of the genre. The ability to paste the raucous attitude of the 1970's punk into a Woody Guthrie chord structure and couple that with the idea that its okay to get as drunk as you want as often as you want. Well, now...that's just living a dream, isn't it?

Uncle Tupelo came along in 1990, rejected-punks-turned-country geniuses, and Farrar and Tweedy have continued to give us great music ever since with Son Volt and Wilco (although many would argue that Tweedy hasn't put out any 'country' music in 10 years). Latter day traditionalists such as The Jayhawks, Whiskeytown, Neko Case and Richard Buckner are typically more 'country' than 'alt', while you're much more likely to hear bands like the Old '97s and Drive-By Truckers on alternative rock stations or in amphitheatres.

So, its with all this that I offer you some of my favorite songs from some of my favorite 'alt-country' bands. A few classics, a few new, some will be familiar, some not, but with their subtle twang, occasional fiddle, perfect sing-along melodies, and often heartbreaking lyrics they give unique takes on such classic country themes as love, death, drinking and sex, sometimes all in the same three minutes.

Tracklist
1. "Last To Know" - Alejandro Escovedo
2. "In State" - Kathleen edwards
3. "Sky And The Ocean" - The Volebeats
4. "The Ocean Cliff Clearing" - Richard Buckner
5. "Thanks A Lot" - Neko Case
6. "Houses On The Hill" - Whiskeytown
7. "Ain't So Lonely" - Lucero
8. "Tom Ames' Prayer" - Robert Earl Keen
9. "I'd Run Away" - The Jayhwaks
10. "Busted Afternoon" - Old 97's
11. "John Peel" - Paul Burch
12. "Little White Dove" - Jess Klein
13. "Flowered Dresses" - Slaid Cleaves
14. "Can't Let Go" - Lucinda Williams
15. "Drown" - Son Volt
16. "Say You Miss Me" - Wilco
17. "L.A. County" - Lyle Lovett
18. "Last King Of The Road" - Jon Langford And The Sadies
19. "Mind Over Matter" - Ana Egge
20. "Post To Wire" - Richmond Fontaine
21. "She Took A Lot Of Pills (And Died)" - Robbie Fulks
22. "No Depression" - Uncle Tupelo
23. "His Indie World" - Mary Lou Lord

click the link...

Hip-D PodBlast » Sixer » Treat Her Right

2006-09-16T16:09:00.000-07:00

Before making his name with the critically-acclaimed Morphine, Mark Sandman played stand-up bass and shared lead vocal duties with a down and dirty Boston dive bar outfit known as Treat Her Right, no doubt named after the classic Roy Head hit song. When you listen to this band, you can practically smell the endless ounces of stale Falstaff spilled on the floor and see the Pall Mall smoke from a dozen desperate barflies wafting through the speakers. This ain't no happy music, but it's not mopey in the least, either. There's a primal power at work here, which makes the listener just want to go smash a longneck over some guy's head and start a barroom brawl that would rival one of Philo Beddoe's legendary backlot bare-knuckle boxing matches.

Tragically, Sandman's untimely onstage death pretty much guarantees there shall never be a Treat Her Right reunion, but few bands ever packed more of a wallop into a mere three albums. Most folks continue to point to his work with Morphine or his subsequent solo recordings as being the cornerstone of his legacy, but as far as I'm concerned, Treat Her Right was every bit as good as anything else he ever did. And speaking from personal experience as recent as the compiling of this Sixer, this is about the best music around for drowning your misery. It's certainly a lot less likely to land me in jail than flying up to South Bend and bashing a longneck over Brady Quinn's head, which is what I was fully intent on doing before hunkering down to get some content posted to Hip-D for the first time since The Carter Administration.

"An Honest Job" (from 1986's Treat Her Right)

"Big Medicine" (from 1989's Tied to the Tracks)

"I'm Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail" (from 1991's What's Good For You)

"I Think She Likes Me" (from 1986's Treat Her Right)

"Hank" (from 1989's Tied to the Tracks)

"Standing By Your Window" (from 1991's What's Good For You)

Hip-D PodBlast » Mixer » "Wait a Minute -- This Sounds Like Rock and/or Roll!"

2006-09-04T22:16:00.000-07:00

This marks the first installment of a new recurring feature here at Hip Displeasure: Mixers. Basically, mixers are streaming mix CDs created exclusively for Hip-D, and this one is called "Wait a Minute -- This Sounds Like Rock and/or Roll!"

Here's the tracklisting:

"Remember when we used to make out to this hymn?"
"Kick Me And Cancel" - Robert Pollard
"Thou Shalt Wilt" - Loose Fur
"Knee High" - French Kicks
"Elijah" - Frank Black
"Magic" - Ben Kweller
"Never Do This Again" - The M's
"Plow You Under" - Scott H. Biram
"Monument Sails" - Centro-Matic
"The Bee" - Starlight Mints
"The Education Song" - The Gourds
"Weed Party" - Band of Horses
"Hummalong" - The Drams
"Fire Island, AK" - The Long Winters
"White Collar Boy" - Belle and Sebastian
"Cope" - The Futureheads
"Summersong" - The Decemberists
"European Oils" - Destroyer
"Night Driver" - Tom Petty
"Maybe Sparrow" - Neko Case
"VERA said that?!?"

jasmine » Music » so i don't get fired from hip-d

2006-09-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a little fill-in on what I've been listening to lately:

King Biscuit Time - Black Gold: This is a side project of Beta Band member, Stephen Mason. When I first heard, "Impossible Ride" last week, I thought, "Hey, now here's a Beta Band song that I haven't heard...". So, that's what this album sounds like... the Beta Band.

The Lights - "Mr. Pussy": The Lights is a Seattle band and "Mr. Pussy" is a song that sounds a lot like Joy Division. The drumming in this song is comparable to Jimmy Chamberlain's thud thud on "God" by the late, great Smashing Pumpkins (yes, I said great). Around the two minute mark, singer Craig Chambers breaks out his very best Ian Curtis impression and I eat it up like a little kid eats a bag of candy. Look for their 2006 release, Diamonds and Dirt.

In other music news, I'm going to the Touch and Go 25th anniversary celebration this weekend. Scheduled to appear: Shellac, Big Black, Ted Leo, Shipping News, Tim & Andy of Silkworm (without the deceased Michael Dahlquist around, I'm sure this set will be a tearjerker), Calexico, Black Heart Procession, Tara Jane O'Neil, Man... Or Astroman?, Seam, and many, many more. I'm excited to see how many punk rock kids from the 80's and 90's make an appearance this weekend. I hope to have pictures, too.

ami la musica!

FT » Film » Idiocracy

2006-09-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

Up to this point, Mike Judge has done no wrong. Every single one of his creations has been both absolutely hilarious and absurdly realistic. Beavis and Butt-Head, King of the Hill and Office Space all seemed pretty ridiculous at first blush, but each revealed unflinching truth beneath a veneer of whimsy. So, that being the case, why has it taken more than a year after being finished for Judge's "new" movie, Idiocracy, to finally be released -- and only an unpublicized limited release, at that???

Rumors have run rampant, including everything from repeated script rewrites, disastrous test screenings and even withdrawn financing. And given the fact that it sat on the studio shelf for more than a full year before being unceremonously dumped into a handful of theaters with no trailers or ads of any kind to be found, it would seem that perhaps rumors of Idiocracy's demise were not exaggerated in the least.

I had been desperately trying to keep track of developments on the Idiocracy front, which was made even more difficult by the fact that the oft-referenced "Untitled Mike Judge Project" has also been known at one time another by such working titles as 3001 and Uhhmerica. But a few months ago, I had pretty much given up hope on ever seeing this film, no matter what the title. So, it was quite a surprise when checking the local movie listings this past Saturday to find a late showing of Talladega Nights: The Legend of Will Ferrell's Undies (or whatever the heck it's called), I saw Idiocracy right there alongside the other films now showing at the neighborhood cineplex. I immediately notified all three of my friends, and off we went.

The premise of the film is classic Mike Judge: a stultifyingly average Joe (literally) gets volunteered by his Army bosses to participate in a living cryogenic experment, along with a low-rent hooker (played by SNL's Maya Rudolph), only to discover upon being unfrozen 500 years in the future that the world's entire population has been overrun by the unchecked breeding of mentally-deficient white trash and similarly dim-witted and empty-pocketed schlubs of all ethnicities. As a result, Joe (played by Luke Wilson) has shockingly found himself the smartest human alive.

Idiocracy plays something like a live-action Futurama crossed with the original Planet of the Apes, as Joe discovers his severely altered planet of tomorrow contains equal parts wackiness and danger. The condition of Earth five centuries from now proves to be fertile ground for Judge's biting satiric wit, as he attacks many of our developing societal ills with hilarious precision. Whether it's our growing prediliction for fatty foods, reality television or celebrity politicians, each target gets blasted by Judge's acerbic ray gun.

All that being said, it certainly is somewhat understandable why the studio might have been unsure exactly what they had on their hands here. Unlike the disaffected teens, suburban rednecks and downtrodden cubicle dwellers who inhabited his previous works, the masses might not be able to as easily identify with the characters from Idiocracy. The plot is a good deal more bizarre than what we've seen from Judge before, and though the gags are almost universally hilarious throughout, some of the performances and production values are not quite up to challenge.

But at the end of the day, a comedy is ultimately "judge"d by just one thing: whether or not it was funny. Any plot holes, production snafus or acting shortcomings aside, the humor in Idiocracy is relentlessly hilarious. And for that reason alone, it is definitely a movie worth seeing. The only question is whether or not you'll even get that opportunity. As it stands today, unless you live in or near Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago or Toronto, you might not. If the powers that be decide to skip the nationwide theatrical release and plop it onto DVD, be sure and snatch it up when it hits store shelves.

Hip-D PodBlast » The BlooGAR Show » Vol. 3

2006-08-30T05:49:00.000-07:00

"Sweet Home Alabama"

For this edition of the PodBlast, I took the show on the road to LooGAR's turf, Montgomery Alabama. Sequestered in his office, we fought some technical problems (to be expected when moving so much sensitive equipment), but in the end soldiered on to bring you the worst in entertainment. We do hope that you enjoy it. As always, comments are appreciated--maybe we will read some on the air next time.

FT » Memoir » A Lummox Looks at 40

2006-08-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

Here I sit on the final weekend of my thirties, reflecting on my life and pondering the rather jarring possibility that the road ahead just might be a good bit shorter than what’s in my rearview mirror. This is the first birthday I’ve ever dreaded, after spending 364 days each year anxiously awaiting the previous 39. It’s pretty heavy stuff for a pretty heavy guy.

When my father turned 40, I was halfway through high school. And when my mother turned 40, I was already halfway through college. So shouldn’t the fact that my oldest child just started the fifth grade help reassure me that maybe 40 isn’t as old as I thought it was after all? Plus, both my folks smoked like chimneys and drank like fishes, whereas I do neither (outside of the occasional beer).

Even so, despite my seeming lack of vice, I can’t help but fixate on the fact that my father died at 59 and wonder how genetically predisposed I might be for a similarly premature rendezvous with The Reaper. Death doesn’t scare me, but “ceasing to be” sends chills down my spine. I mean, how will the world get along without me? And if it can, why was I even here in the first place?

Everybody wants to make their mark, but so far the only real lasting impression I’ve made has been on an endless series of irreparably collapsed couch cushions. We all struggle to find our true purpose in life, and it disturbs me that I’m about to embark on my fifth decade without having the slightest clue of what mine is supposed to be.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be noble. I mean, it’s not like I’m going to find a cure for cancer or solve the world hunger problem. In fact, I’m a pretty significant contributor to the latter. So, what IS my reason for being here? I’d certainly be willing to settle for something less Nobel-worthy. There’s got to be some sort of useful application of my sedentary ways. Come to think of it, the upcoming start of football season just might be my time to shine.

Instead of rooting for season-ending injuries to the likes of Jeremy Shockey, Clinton Portis and Donovan McNabb, perhaps I should lead by example and redirect those negative energies toward more positive support of my beloved Dallas Cowboys. Sure, peace in the Middle East would be great, but first let’s try starting with the NFC East. Think globally, act locally.

Besides, everyone knows the Raiders are the real Al-Qaeda of the NFL. The only difference is that unlike Al Davis, Osama actually knows how to find guys who can inflict damage on the opponent with bombs.

OK, so I may not have figured out my true purpose in life, but at least I figured out a way to end this column. And that’s enough to lift the cloud hanging over my impending 40^th birthday...at least for now.

Hip-D PodBlast » Sixer » Daryll-Ann

2006-08-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

Chances are pretty slim you've ever heard any of the melodic Dutch pop gems from Holland's Daryll-Ann, because they simply have never managed to make any sort of impression here in the States. The only reason I ever stumbled onto them a couple of years ago was the accidental result of Epitonic-fueled boredom.

I almost never take fliers on bands I've never heard of before, unless they were recommended to me by a trusted friend. But this was once instance I did, and will be forever grateful for having done so, because these guys are fantastic!

So, consider me YOUR trusted friend, and give Daryll-Ann a listen. You'll be glad you did (unless you are Goldmember and hate the Dutch)...

"Everybody's Cool" (from 2001's Happy Traum)
"10:45" (from 2004's Don't Stop)
"Serenades for the Lonely" (from 2002's Trailer Tales)
"Rollercoaster" (from 1996's Daryll-Ann Weeps)
"We Love Danger" (from 2004's Don't Stop)
"When You Cry" (from 2001's Happy Traum)

Elvis Fu » Music » Protest Music from (men in their) Sixties

2006-08-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

We have a gang of lackluster leaders on the national stage, wars against undefinable enemy, gasoline that's expensive enough to gripe about without actually consuming less and civil liberties getting sucked out the window as if someone opened the Emergency Exit on Air Force One. Now I'm not one of those who runs around alternately screaming/weeping about the End Times, but we've obviously done better for ourselves as Americans.

So where's all the good protest music?

John Fogerty's "Fortunate Son". Neil Young's "Ohio", or Stephen Stills' "Find the Cost of Freedom" on the flipside. Bob Dylan. And in case symbolism or subtlety isn't your bag, spend a few minutes with Edwin Starr yelling, "War! Huh! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing."

What do the kids have today? Green Day. Actually, even that was a couple years ago. The Dixie Chicks get all sorts of press for public statements, but to my knowledge their songwriting still has little in common with Billy Bragg.

The big names in protest music right now are not only from The Sixties, but they are also in their sixties. Neil Young has worked up the Hannity Crowd with his Living in War album, featuring "Let's Impeach the President." I'm consider myself to be a solid Neil Young fan. I'm also don't feel limited to just admiring his music. Young outraged some of his 1960s peers and Rolling Stone magazine by publicly supporting some of Ronald Reagan's policies.

I had planned to use this next paragraph praising Young's non-partisanship, but I think he describes it better than I can: I don't have a view, I have an opinion that changes because everyday is a different day.

I'm not a liberal or a conservative. I'm not like that. With Reagan, some things he did were terrible, some things he did were great. Most people tend to take a president and say you hate...he does one thing you really don't like. Like he builds excessive amounts of warheads or something. So you write him off completely. Which I think is completely stupid. And I think, is very narrow minded.

Anyone can have an opinion and be right, like you don't want warheads on earth. I agree with that, but that is a decision that he made to do that and I disagree with that. On the other hand there are other things that he did that I agreed with. And because I had the ability to say what I feel, people only write part of it, because its news that I would agree with Reagan. So they say Neil Young supports Reagan, so fuck 'em, I don't care what they do.

Here's the good part. I'm not a huge Colbert Report fan, but Young recently appeared on the show, and I thought both Young and Colbert performed flawlessly.

Another songwriter from the 60s-70s has unveiled a new protest song as well. Kris Kristofferson. The song is called "In the News", and you can watch a Flash video here. The song isn't great, but it's not bad. The video is a bit pushy, Kristofferson's strength is in his words, not pictures of GWB giving the finger to Earth. It's still a song that has been crafted, not some hamfisted effort as effigy like "American Idiot" or that George Bush is Dum LOL Vol. 2 with four songs from Bad Religion surrounded by Fat Wreck bands you can pick up for $4 at your local record store.

Mark H. » Music » The Zatopeks - "Smile Or Move"

2006-08-20T05:25:00.000-07:00

You Said It Was A Good Size! 7" Review

The Zatopeks
Smile Or Move
It's Alive Records

The Zatopeks offer us a slightly new version of pop punk. Sure it's only "slightly new" but just about any variation in this bubbling sub-genre is worth checking into. The band is heavily influenced by American oldies radio, which accounts for the familiar but always welcome chord progressions, ensuring sing-alongs on the first listen. Furthermore, tunes are well supplied with high school romance stories and doo wop-esque backing vocals, making one think the black leather jackets are more Dion & The Belmonts than Ramones. The twist truly comes in when you recognize the band hails from the UK. While there isn't a huge resemblance to say, the Buzzcocks or the Adverts, there's definitely something gritty and punk in their performance; these tracks aren't from the north east suburbs or sunny California.

"I Dream I'm Home" starts off with a swaying layer of high vocals, the Phil Spector trademarked "heatbeat drumbeat", and vocalist Will Deniro spewing out images of isolation and dessitude before the band revs up and jumps and in and all sorts of pogoing ensues. "Turn To Gold Blues" offers more heartache, harmonies, and handclaps - if you're not a fan by now, there's something wrong with you.

On the flip, "Even Zatopeks Cry" is another loveable sad-sack ballad, escalating at each chorus and climaxing with a rare guitar solo. Closer "Another Night on the Divide" starts of with some pleasing acoustic picking but explodes into snottiness and speed almost boardering Screeching Weasel territory. Every element in a good pop punk release is here on this platter (melody, harmony, energy) and then some. Worth checking out for curious pop kids, essential for fans of the genre.

Hip-D PodBlast » Harmonic Happenstance » "The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprize" to "Narc"

2006-08-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

In this second instance of a Harmonic Happenstance, I was driving back from lunch with the 'ol iPod rollin' random and stumbled into the glorious transition from Devo's underappreciated "The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprize" to Interpol's "Narc."

Following up a track by the new traditionalists with one by the new divisionists ordinarily never would have occurred to me, but in retrospect it all makes sense, especially when you consider Carlos D. would be right at home with the single-letter surnamed Akron spudboys. The only poossible source of conflict between these two bands is that Jerry, Mark, Alan and the two Bobs still lag behind Interpol by about 195 couches...give or take a sectional.

Hip-D PodBlast » The BlooGAR Show » Vol. 2

2006-08-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

"Yo, This Is A Test"

We cobbled this show together intending for it to be a very short test for doing the show via phone. It ended up being 44 minutes of mainly rambling. So do with it what you will. We will be working on improving the audio quality when we go to this format in the future. Comments as always are appreciated, and thanks as always for checking out and supporting the show.

Audio Selections:
TV On The Radio - "Wolf Like Me"
Lucero - "Sing Me No Hymns"
Belle and Sebastian - "Whiskey In The Jar"

Hip-D PodBlast » Sixer » The Oranges Band

2006-08-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

For this second edition of the "Six-Pack" version of the Hip-D PodBlast, let's delve into the fine work of Baltimore's The Oranges Band, fronted by former Spoon bassist Roman Kuebler.

Since their inception in 2000, they've released two EPs and two full-lengths, each of which is just as much a point of pride to Charm City as crabs and Meldrick. Just ask E. Fu...he knows wut-wut. So, without further ado, here's the tracklisting for this Six-Pack....

"Keep Your Teeth" (from 2003's All Around)
"nextstopexjock" (from 2000's The Five Dollars [EP])
"White Ride" (from 2005's The World and Everything In It)
"Self and Siddhartha" (from 2002's On TV [EP])
"Sweater Weather" (from 2001's 900 Miles of Fucking Hell [EP])
"OK Apartment" (from 2003's All Around)

FT » General » A Message from the Lummox-in-Chief

2006-08-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, there's been a lot of layout tweaking going on around these parts of late. That's because I'm constantly thinking of ways to try and improve the look of the site by streamlining features whenever possible.

The most recent example of this would be the new "Stream" and "Download" buttons for accessing any of our audio content. Now, you don't have to wait for one of our PodBlasts to download before listening, because you have the added option of immediately streaming them whenever you want.

This wouldn't be possible without the tireless efforts and general largesse of the Don Corleone of Self-Storage, our own Yail Bloor. If you get a chance, tell Yail thanks and maybe even rent one of his units to store your valuable collection of 19th Century Prussian erotica. It'll show your parents that you're serious about moving out of their basement by the end of the decade!

Hip-D PodBlast » Sixer » Sunset Valley

2006-08-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

This is the first edition of the "Six-Pack" version of the Hip-D PodBlast, which will feature six of an underappreciated artist's best songs rolled up into a single MP3 for your listening pleasure. To kick things off, let's pop the top on some Sunset Valley...

Based in Portland, Oregon and fronted by Herman Jolly, Sunset Valley has released four outstanding albums since forming in the late '90s. The tracks featured in this Six-Pack are taken from all four of these albums. Here is the tracklisting, along with the album and release date:

"Red Thai Sunday" (from 1998's The New Speed)
"Megapills" (from 1999's Boyscout Superhero)
"Wired Nights" (from 2001's Icepond)
"Grubby Cartoon Hands" (from 2004's Goldbank 78 Stack)
"Happily Frozen" (from Boyscout Superhero)
"Touch You" (from Icepond)

For more info, check out the band's website at http://www.sunsetvalley.net.

Chris » Film » The Criterion Project: "A Woman Is A Woman"

2006-08-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

A while ago, on one of my excursions to Virgin Records Union Square, I noticed a particular section of DVDs for sale.
All sorts of genres, that would normally be placed in separate sections, were sitting there on the shelf as one.
I quickly came to realize this section was known as the Criterion Collection.
This, of course, piqued my interest.
It had occurred to me, these were classic films that I had heard of but had never watched.
In fact, out of the hundreds of films in stock, I had only watched three of them.
Being a huge fan of the cinema, I wondered why I had failed to take notice of films that were highly recommended by film critics and friends.
Films that were influential to some of my favorite current filmmakers.Right then, I knew I had to, at least, give the films in the Criterion Collection a chance.
Last weekend, began my official journey...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A WOMAN IS A WOMAN
"Une Femme Est Une Femme"
Directed
by
Jean-Luc Godard
1961

Jean-Claude Brialy
Anna Krina
Jean-Paul Belmondo

Jean-Luc Godard is a genius at writing small talk that arouses interest and incites one's imagination.
In a genre such as romantic comedy, where the subject matter can be so ordinary, to be able to sustain an entire motion picture just on dialogue is no small feat.
Striptease artist Angela (Anna Karina) is at odds with her live-in boyfriend, Emile (Jean-Claude Brialy), when he refuses to have a baby.
After several attempts of trying to reason with him, Angela takes up with his best friend, Albert (Jean-Paul Belmondo), in order to make the laconic Emile jealous.
In the meantime, Godard brings to our attention several pleasant surprises and provides some funny and moving sequences.
None funnier than "the pronunciation of R's in the correct French dialect".
With that said, the plot is as insignificant as it can be.
Godard seems content in simply showering us with joyful moments of beautiful people fascinated by the allure of being in a musical.
Nevertheless, a minor snag in what is an otherwise charming, beautiful, exuberant, and most of all, enjoyable picture.

Hip-D PodBlast » The BlooGAR Show » Vol. 1

2006-08-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

I’d like to say that this latest PodBlast was a great experience, but as the man likes to say, “It was real, it was fun, but it wasn’t real fun.”

The man, of course, is our own LooGAR, who was gracious enough to sit in with me, shoot the shit, and play some songs this past Saturday.

The result? You guys will have to be the judge of that, but I think that we are progressing (albeit at a snails pace) with this thing. As always, your comments are appreciated–they really do help.

The BlooGAR song selection:

Let Your Light Shine On Me - Blind Willie Johnson
30 Days - Chuck Berry
Rocks Off - The Rolling Stones
Blame It On The Stones - Kris Kristofferson
Its Not Enough - Johnny Thunders
Shut Up And Get On The Plane - Drive By Truckers
I Love How You Love Me - The Paris Sisters

Chris » Film » The Criterion Project: "Lacombe, Lucien"

2006-08-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

A while ago, on one of my excursions to Virgin Records Union Square, I noticed a particular section of DVDs for sale.
All sorts of genres, that would normally be placed in separate sections, were sitting there on the shelf as one.
I quickly came to realize this section was known as the Criterion Collection.
This, of course, piqued my interest.It had occurred to me, these were classic films that I had heard of but had never watched.
In fact, out of the hundreds of films in stock, I had only watched three of them.
Being a huge fan of the cinema, I wondered why I had failed to take notice of films that were highly recommended by film critics and friends.
Films that were influential to some of my favorite current filmmakers.
Right then, I knew I had to, at least, give the films in the Criterion Collection a chance.
Last weekend, began my official journey...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LACOMBE, LUCIEN
Directed
by
Louis Malle
1974

Pierre Blaise
Aurore Clément
Holger Löwenadler
Therese Giehse

"Lacombe, Lucien" is striking in its understated portrait of how one's own interest and pride can lead to regrettable choices.
The film's major achievement is in showing the appeal that collaboration had to the disaffected youth and the underachievers in the community, as did, the attraction of unearned power.
The film tells the story of Lucien, a rural French teenager who, having been rejected by the French Resistance for being too young, joins in with the German occupiers.
As an individual without status or a sense of self-worth, Lucien becomes attracted to the Gestapo, but ultimately must be held accountable for his ignorance.
As the news on the war gets continually worse, Lucien, along with the collaborators hang out in a local hotel, getting drunk and lamenting their lot, eventually getting picked off by the emboldened locals.
Using his recent power as a bullying tactic, Lucien forces himself into a sexual relationship with a not-entirely unyielding young Jewish immigrant woman.
Unexpectedly, the two develop what seems to be a genuine, although short-lived, affection for one another.
In the end, Lucien's decisions would prove fatal.
Devastating and unforgettable.

Hip-D TV » Lo-Def Theater » "Celebrity Mugshot Chat Room"

2006-08-04T19:36:00.000-07:00

Watch what happens when celebrities in trouble with the law get together to chat...

stacey » Music » Warped Tour

2006-08-03T20:54:00.000-07:00

"Stacey eats dirt, likes breezes."

Josh Ritter, Peter Mulvey, John Vanderslice, Page France and Alexi Murdoch are amongst my best shows or discs of the year thus far and, dammit was I bummed when I missed the Fiona Apple, Damien Rice and David Garza show last week. So, logically, I found myself at the Warped Tour Wednesday.

Welcoming this fish out of water was the Fitchburg, Massachussetts ariport, a heat index of 100+ degrees, I don't know how many thousands of mostly sweaty, bandana clad, sometimes parent guarded teenagers and, oh yeah, some wicked hardcore bands.

I went deep undercover to bring Hip Displeasure my half assed report.

As I entered the airport grounds I, well, I couldn't receive the free goody bag from the Cingular tent because, apparently, showing them my US Cellular phone was NOT the same as showing them my Cigular phone. I'm pretty sure I didn't want their stickers anyway. I was accompanying my friend and her 16 year old brother attending his first show of any kind. This was their trip, their music. I was the passenger, the skateboarder holding on to the back of the car. Basically, I had no control over the bands we saw or the tents we visited.

The first band for us was the Fully Down, ushering in my day of screaming, lyrics I couldn't understand, mosh pits and dirt. Lots and lots of dirt.

If this didn't all ready make sense to you, let it be known now; sweat + dirt = sandpaper people. By the end of the day I'm sure I could have rubbed down a post for a fence with my dirt covered arm and made that sucker as smooth as, yes, a baby's bottom. So the thought of maintaining any sort of cleanliness escaped my mind fairly quickly and I didn't really care that the "misting booth" only attracted more dirt after my exit from it, because got-dammit, that water was a fleeting oasis on what had become my desert body. The water we brought went quickly, but the $3, 16 oz. waters and $4 bottles of Gatorade were plentiful. I didn't spend a single cent on any band merchandise, but still my "Don't call me, I'll call you" change purse found itself empty at the end of the night.

As we passed shirtless teenage boy upon bikini topped teenage girl I thought 'am I the oldest one here?', but then I saw them. Only a couple at first, but little by little they emerged from their big, floppy straw hats and worried expressions, one even wore a tshirt stating exactly what they were -- "Warped Tour Mom". I toyed with the idea of telling one of them I had lost my parent somewhere to con at least one bottle of free water, but later decided they were most likely spending too much money and worry on their own children, so just observed from afar. My favorite parent sighting, which I captured on ten seconds of silent film, took place during Less Than Jake's set. I was standing behind a floral print dressed mother with two girls. She was shaking her khaki clad hips as her daughters (?) stood motionlessly at either side of her. They did not seem to be embarrassed by her, which I thought refreshing. All three were having a good time. Then, the circle pit (more on that later) made its way around and passed directly in front of the woman. She shook it like a Polaroid picture and for some reason, the site of moshers storming their way in front of a mom jamming to Less Than Jake made me chuckle.

Speaking of moshers and pits, admittedly this was my first viewing of the Conga Line on crack AKA the Elanie Bennis dance on tour AKA the running of the moshers AKA the "circle pit". Is this new? I had no idea what was going on until the singer of Less Than Jake wanted the circle pit to become the "clit pit" for the last song of their set, stating "if we see any guys in there, we'll all know you have a small dick". As the song began and the clit pit became increasingly larger, a random girl I was standing next to and I turned to each other and asked "aren't you going in?" at the same time, to which I replied "I don't think my clit is up to that". She was my first Warped Tour friend.

As the day went on and the bands played on I became pretty good at spotting the early warning signs of the birth of a mosh pit, as if they were isolated, spontaneous tornadoes during an Oaklahoma summer. The boys tying bandanas around their faces as if railroad thieves in the Old West, the violent shaking of the head, the "test" push... and then BAM move back! Move out! There's a dust storm a comin'!

I did actually hear music as well. Joan Jett can bring it, Motion City Soundtrack inspired dorky dancing of my own with 'The Future Freaks Me Out' and surprisingly (to me) awesome live bands did Thursday, Less Than Jake and 30 Seconds to Mars make. The rest of the bands I viewed (Bouncing Souls, Autumn to Ashes, Moneen, yada yada yada blended into one gigantic mosh pit in my memory and I couldn't separate them if even I were a burly, sweaty body guard).

And while I had many 'clever' things to shout at bands throughout the day ("play some Sufjan Stevens!!!"), the only thing I managed to spew was during the last band's set (Thursday) as the sun was setting on my pseudo-punk rock day... in response to the lead singer thanking Saves the Day "from New Jersey" for being there I screamed, "Woo! Jersey!", much to the chagrin of my friend. I am a cool kid.

Final thoughts:

Mom in the Blondie tshirt: your fifteen year old may not appreciate you, the 14,745 other fifteen year olds there may have not appreciated you, but dammit, I appreciate you.

Guy wearing the pink cowboy hat and smoking the cigar: sure.

People who started throwing mounds of Earth: listen, kids; you wanna throw water bottles to create some sort of "atmosphere", that's cool, but when you start propelling dirt and grass and possibly rocks, that's not cool (am I old for saying that?).

The band who dedicated their last song to "The most evilest bitch ever": those are the only words throughout your entire set I understood.

Girl with the "dehydrated and poor" sign: I hope you conned the parents better than I.

and, finally, from some kids at warpedtour.com...

"well i had front row and i was just astonished at Ronnie Winter and Elias Reidy... i was like =O! haha, i kept screaming RONNIE YOU'RE FUCKING GORGEOUS and some mom kept looking at me. I was like YES FUCKING GORGEOUS FUCK ME NOW! just to piss her off"

"I LOVE WARPED TOUR '06!!! this was my first concert in i loved it. da bands were awesome n da ppl were cool. especially da cute skaterboarder dan. : D"

"hah my mom was in the parent tent haha she made friends with the chcik running it. lol shes been to atleast 4 warped tours since me and my brother have been going."

jasmine » Music » Frightened Rabbit

2006-08-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

When a friend told me about a Scottish band called Frightened Rabbit, I thought, “Well, I do love all things Scottish, so I’m sure I’ll love this band.” Not so fast, Jasmine. I found after one listen to Sing the Greys that it was lifeless and boring and I didn’t get anything from it. I quickly forgot about it.

Then, through the magic of iTunes shuffle, I heard the gorgeous chorus of “Behave!”: “Behave… behave… I don’t know quite how to behave/Behave… I don’t have a clue how to behave when I’m around you…” and now I’m hooked. I would compare them to Maximo Park. Perhaps as a lo-fi kid brother. Other fantastic songs include "Be Less Rude"and "Yawns". The music's simple, the lyrics are heartfelt.

Anyway, listen to the songs that I've posted and pick up the album. Unfortunately, their touring is still confined to Great Britain, but perhaps someday they’ll jump over the big pond and visit the US.

And come on… who couldn’t love a couple of crazy kids who have this on the front page of their website

“Frightened Rabbit are a drummer called Grant, born in 1984, and a guitarist called Scott, born in 1981. We are brothers and are therefore related. We don’t have anyone else in the band because we don’t have any other friends who are awesome

Exactly.

For more information on Frightened Rabbit, check out their website or myspace page.

jasmine » Music » Pitchfork Music Festival 2006

2006-07-31T19:12:00.000-07:00

good:

the national. these guys continue to kick my ass even after seeing them tour on the same album, alligator three times. i think that the songs are brilliant, the band (comprised of two sets of brothers and a fifth wheel) is both tight and powerful, and the singer (fifth wheel, matt berninger) is a brilliant madman. they played all of their hits (aka – my favorite songs), like “abel”, “all the wine”, and opened with “secret meeting”. they closed with a new song which means a new album must be coming. yessssssss.

jens lekman. who the hell is this guy, anyway? i heard “black cab” about two years ago, bought tickets to his schuba’s show in early 2005 (didn’t go), and he quickly left my memory. i’ve always associated his voice with that of stephin merritt, which after seeing him yesterday, i know is completely incorrect. he has his own gorgeous voice and a pretty fantastic backing band complete with a tuba! and who doesn’t love a good tuba? after doing some reading about the swede, i discovered that he shares my birthday, so now i love him more.

mission of burma. i knew nothing of these guys before yesterday, but boy am i glad i saw them. i did recognize (and love) the song, “that’s when i reach for my revolver”, so i didn’t feel completely lost. great band. i’d definitely see them again.

flatstock poster festival. loads and loads of concert posters, all handmade. i ended up buying a delgados poster, a trail of dead poster and a little sign which reads, “you are my sunshine”. cheap and wonderful. i recommend checking out Judgeworks, Aesthetic Apparatus and YeeHaw Industries if you’re interested in some original art for yourself.

watermelon lemonade. hey, i know! let’s take cubed watermelon (juice included) and toss it in some lemonade. this drink was so good, i wanted to make out with it.

bad:

yo la tengo. please, guys, stop with the 10 minute “songs” which consist of droning and squealing guitars. please play more songs that i love, but don’t screw them up with your artsy interpretation. thank you.

hipster fashion. seriously, how many ironic t-shirts and too-tight jeans can i see in one day? and the woman who was wearing what looked like a 1970’s beige bathing suit with a pair of black suede (with fringe!) cowboy boots? yikes.

heat. i’ve lived here my whole life and you’d think i’d be acclimated by now. nope. i still bitch with the rest of ‘em about the heat. i wore pants rolled to my knees with a tank top and i was still saturated with sweat and also got a pretty mean sunburn. chicago summers, i hate you. chicago festivals, i love you.

stacey » Music » G-G-G-Geek Lurv: Matchbox 20

2006-07-29T23:20:00.000-07:00

As I was standing behind the counter at work today listening to the first "Staff Inflection" Hip D Podblast I thought 'why am I sanding salad hands? Wasn't I hired as retail manager and isn't there a factory around here?', but then I thought 'I've been called out and I am no yellow belly. Very white, but not yella.'

Anyway, since I now know our Podblast DJ extraordinaire isn't going to be reading our write-ups, I can concentrate more on Hip Displeasure and less on my 'things I want to hear Chris say' list.

Let's take a step back, shall we? To were it all began... matchbox twenty. I know, look at all those words below and groan. YOU elitist, hipster wanker do not want to read about matchbox twenty. While I repeatedly enjoyed the Beatles 'White Album' well before matchbox twenty entered my CD player, I do accredit (pretty substantially) Rob Thomas and company for ushering me into, well, whatever it is I am now.

Don't worry, I promise I'll write about music you MAY care about next time. I've even all ready started writing something! But for now, read this...

‘I wanna push you around/well I will/well I will’. The lyrics that opened my fifteen year old ears to the colorful, beautiful universe that was music. What did I, as an unsure, shy teenager know about wanting to push someone around? Well, nothing really. I was not the ‘typical’, angst ridden teen. In fact, there was nothing typical about me, nor was there any characteristic allowing me to stand out as an individual at all. As if a mindless drone lacking any personality, I made my way through school receiving high grades and doing little else. That is, until matchbox twenty’s ‘Push’ found its way to my unwilling ears.

Music had never made me feel before, yet that was exactly what was happening. Rob Thomas’ raspy, ever so slightly southern sprinkled accent was singing with such conviction! Such feeling! Emotions I had never known were pouring from him with amazing ease. For me, the experience of listening to ‘Push’ was beautiful and heart wrenching and held everything good and lovely this world had to offer. The song gave me hope that one day, I too, would have some kind of overwhelming sentiment of some sort. I was in love for the first time in my life, yet it was not with a boy as I always thought it would be, but with a song, which was even more incredible.

I owned a CD player, by some miracle, and in April of 1997 I officially owned my first copy of ‘Yourself Or Someone Like You’.

My infatuation escalated with every complete listen of the band’s debut disc. I used my school’s computers to search the internet for any, and all, information I could find on the band. Secretly, I printed page upon page of information. Did I need to know Adam Gaynor’s (rhythm guitarist) shoe size was 12, or that Rob Thomas’ favorite ice cream was cookies ‘n cream? Yes! I absolutely did need to absorb every morsel of information, because they were the unexpected ones who gave me not just a simple interest, but a passion, in life. Finally, I was inspired.

Over the next three years I immersed myself in music, but no matter what groundbreaking or new band I was listening to, one of my many copies of ‘Yourself Or Someone Like You’ was by my side. I awoke to the soulful cries of ‘Long Day’ every morning and fell asleep to the heartbreak of separation on ‘Hang’ every night. On my yearbook page I proudly displayed a picture of the band and the quote ‘Funny in a certain light how we all look the same’ from the tenth song, ‘Shame’.

Then, in May of 2000 I attended my first concert of any kind. Just two days after the release of matchbox twenty’s second album, ‘Mad Season by matchbox twenty’, I was able to fix my eyes on the band in person at the Avalon in Boston. Every dream I had for three years prior came true that night when I found myself standing only feet from the stage Rob Thomas, Adam Gaynor, Paul Doucette, Kyle Cook and Brian Yale would grace. During the show, I, who had never raised my voice in public for fear of being looked at, found myself singing, and gasp...dancing. I, who never cared to be anything but a wallflower was screaming for Rob’s attention, and I liked it!

After the show my own personal liberation continued when Brian Yale (bass) emerged from deep within the club’s confines to sign autographs. Finally, I would be face to face with one of the men who helped me find my personality. I felt as though I was in a dream, and for a moment I slipped into my old, timid skin as I barely uttered ‘thank you’ after he signed my CD booklet.

As I stepped away personal disappointment filled my head, painfully simmering there until just minutes after receiving his signature, when I redeemed myself. The moment started when he looked at the crowd standing around him and said ‘Is that it? Did everyone get what they wanted?’. Some formerly shy people may find it hard to pinpoint the exact moment they emerged from their shell, but I can. In that instant I did not think before I spoke, before I shouted, in the middle of a Boston street brimming with people, ‘WAIT A MINUTE! I NEED A PICTURE!’. Brian then looked at *me*, and said to *me*, ‘Come on over’. I threw my plastic disposable camera at my friend and ran to him. All I could think about was his arm lying gently across my shoulders, and how he must have been magnetically charged because my arm went around his waist and my head tilted to his without hesitation. I did not imagine I could be any happier than I was in that moment.

Now, in the “indie” fueled haze that is my music life, some of the most proudly dorky moments are forever tattooed on my brain because of matchbox twenty. From 1997 to 2001 they were a continuous source of instant joy and warm thoughts, spontaneous grocery store dancing and those moments of pure jubilation when nothing but the music matters. matchbox twenty was the sweetest gateway drug to the uninhibited bliss that is all music. They wanted to push me around, and I gladly opened the door.

Patrick » Music » The Mountain Goats

2006-07-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

You might not easily recognize it through the hiss of the home 4-track recorder, but John Darnielle actually likes well-produced music. A spiritual contemporary of Daniel Johnston, Darnielle has taken his bathroom recordings and stepped into the studio on his last album, "The Sunset Tree", one of the best of 2005. With the release of the new disc, "Get Lonely", rapidly approaching, here is a small sample of The Mountain Goats back catalog, a Dead-like compendium of 2.5 minute snippets of brilliance. Click on the link above.

Track listing
1. Dilaudid (Marrtronix Version)
2. Onions
3. Color In Your Cheeks
4. Evening In Stalingrad
5. Linda Blair Was Born Innocent
6. See America Right
7. Love Love Love
8. Jenny
9. Alpha Desperation March
10. Old College Try
11. Mountain Goats Shirt Song (Live)

(Not meant in any way to detract from current or future Podblasts)

Mark H. » Music » Nancy - "Snakes on an E.P."

2006-07-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

"You Said It Was A Good Size! 7" Review"

Nancy
Snakes On An E.P.
(Idiot Records)

The group known as Nancy has evolved over the years, and true to some Darwinian law, a superior form of the band has survived to bash out one of the best hard punk 7"s I've heard in a long while. It's important to note that the band had many previous incarnations, because this sound didn't just appear out of nowhere. Nancy has solidified into an electric, eclectic foursome. And while the EP as a whole could justly stake ground in the Dillinger Four camp, each track has something unique in it, setting the band on a different crest of the glorious mountain of rock.

"Jamuel L. Snackson" is the lead-off and hook-heavy track, showcasing right off the bat a few unique aspects of the band that carry throughout the EP. I think the band puts forth a wonderful juxtaposition of upbeat melodies and painfully detailed life struggles. The rhythm guitar quickly riffs along, and the lead axe keeps pace with speed-pop hooks. It's a pleasure to listen to, but simultaneously your tears are jerked by a lyric like "There was a final kiss / I couldn't even take it back / containing some microscopic remnants of a peanut butter snack." It's also apparent why all four members are billed equally as vocalists, as they all seem to have some voice in this song. And while it's at times hard to navigate, it is intriguing to hear how well these voices blend together - the rough with clean, the emotive with the harmonious. The 90 second burst of "Calculated Risk" picks up the velocity - so much so that I'm still debating on whether it's words or just some hyper-mumble accompaniment at one point, only to mysteriously fade out slow-motion style.

The flipside features more catchy tuneage in the form of "To See Or Not To See", another tale of relationships and respect, and "Killing Ourselves" which chugs at high speeds, while the guitar lines shred the line separating punk and metal territory. The track also is distinct on this release as it's the only song with an outright chorus (the other songs are too busy telling the story and cramming musical ideas into such a small space to bother). Unfortunately the chorus in question is of the worn-out "I ask why / Why are we killing ourselves?" variety, which at this point is only a minor quibble amongst the multitude of great things going on in this slab of wax.

Hip-D PodBlast » Staff Inflection » v1.0

2006-07-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday Looks Good To Me - "Parking Lot Blues"
"This is Saturday Looks Good To Me at their best, forgoing what critics once described as a 'Fisher-Price turntable under water sound' for this loose and good-time summer jangle. If this don't make you wanna get up and shake DAT ASS, you might as well go ahead and call Quincy to throw your lifeless corpse in the back of his station wagon, so Sam can proceed with carving you up...'cause honey, you ain't got no pulse!" - FT

Gene Vincent - "Cat Man"
"Better hide your sister, indeed. Vincent's "Cat Man" prowls the wholesome streets in search of late 50s goodies sequestered behind some formidable undergarments, while guitarist Cliff Gallup lays down a damn near perfect riff that darts menacingly on the trail of the Cat Man's mark. This was Gallups last recording with Vincent & the Blue Caps. He soon quit to become a school janitor." - Elvis Fu

Ray LaMontagne - "Crazy"
"I asked Jeeves how many artists have covered Gnarls Barkley's 'Crazy' thus far and, well, Jeeves didn't have a clear cut answer for me, but I know it's a few. So, why would you care about another version of a song you're probably thisclose to tossing into the 'overexposed' used CD bin in your mind? Jeeves didn't have an answer for that either, actually... but I'll throw out a reason; this is Ray LaMontagane. Not enough for you? Fine you heartless, cynical bastard; this is Ray LaMontagne being Ray LaMontagne. He covered a song steps away from his genre and made it his own backwoods Van Morrison/folk/rock/guy and guitar/blah blah blah creation. You may think that's boring. Or you may dig it for what it is, happily add it to your iTunes collection and forget it's a cover the next time it's played." - stacey

Prince Far I - "Johnny Get Worse"
"When one thinks of the great sounds of Jamaica , most will think of the echo soaked bass of dub or Ska's skanking guitar. Some may even site the extraordinary and unique niyabinghi drummers. Such a pity then that The Voice of Thunder remains relatively unrecognised. The Voice of Thunder belonged to Michael Williams, better known to the world as Prince Far-I, and as the moniker might suggest it was truly a force of nature." - Darrin Frew

Neutral Milk Hotel - "Holland, 1945"
"A few months ago, I was sitting on my friend's bed and he grabbed an album for us to listen to. He issued this disclaimer, 'You're either going to love it or hate it.' I quickly figured out that I love Neutral Milk Hotel. By the time 'Holland, 1945' started playing, I was grinning from ear to ear and fighting back tears of happiness. I have no idea what the hell this song is about. The production isn't great... every time I hear it, I think my speakers are on the verge of blowing up and Jeff Mangum's voice definitely leaves much to be desired. For some reason, though, this song makes me want to fall in love and skip down a street while holding my lover's hand. I want to sing along at the top of my lungs and just know that everything is right in my world." - jasmine

New York Dolls - "Runnin' Around"
Submitted by Yail Bloor sans blurb.

T. Rex - "The Street And Babe Shadow"
Submitted by OPA! sans blurb.

Johnny Cash - "God's Gonna Cut You Down"
"The Man in Black, the voice, the last album, the dark subject matter, and still the handclaps add a whole new dimension to the timeleass sound of JR Cash. He may be gone, but I'll never be able to forget him." - Loog

Yail Bloor » Music » Hosting the PodBlast

2006-07-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

"Please allow me to introduce myself..."

I am indeed a man of wealth and taste. And the host of a fake radio show, er podcast. Yes, that's right campers, the Hip Displeasure PodBlast now has yours truly as its host.

For this most recent edition, I had the pleasure of presiding over Volume 1 of our "Staff Inflection" series whereby the collective members of HD select a song to be played on the PodBlast. The selections for this July 28, 2006 edition include:

FT: Saturday Looks Good To Me - Parking Lot Blues
Elvis Fu: Gene Vincent - Cat Man
Stacy: Ray LaMontagne - Crazy
Darrin: Prince Far I - Johnny Get Worse
Jasmine: Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945
Yail Bloor: New York Dolls - Runnin' Around
OPA!: T. Rex - The Street And Babe Shadow
LooGAR: Johnny Cash - God's Gonna Cut You Down

Feel free to use the comments section of this blog to register any comments, questions or suggestions that you may have about the podcast and we will take them into consideration--as always I'd like to thanks FT for the forum, the other bloggers for the time, and our audience and readers for their support. We really are gonna try and make this something unique and cool as time goes on. Now? Not so much.

Elvis Fu » Music » Lucero - "Rebels, Rogues and Sworn Brothers"

2006-07-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

"The rain will wash away the piss and blood"
Lucero, Rebels, Rogues and Sworn Brothers
(Sept. 26th / Liberty & Lament)
RIYL: Throw Steve Earle in a blender with Bruce Springsteen, The Band, The Replacements and Social Distortion. Add some whiskey and puree.

Thanks to a generous Pre-Order offer from the boys in the band, I was fortunate enough to get a digital copy of Lucero's newest offering in my Gmail inbox this morning. First off, I think it's a great idea to give pre-order fans a digital copy they can listen to immediately, rather than clawing at the empty mailbox day after day. Also, I thought it was also a nice touch for the band to allow 2 downloads before the link expires. I quickly pulled one down to my machine at work, and saved the second for home. But what about the goods?

Some people felt let down by 2005's Nobody's Darlings, especially as a follow up to That Much Further West. In the band documentary Dreaming in America, songwriter/lead vocalist Ben Nichols explains that he was ready to make a real Rock and Roll record, a departure from the more sprawling, country flavored albums that that preceded Nobody's Darlings.

Rebels, Rogues and Sworn Brothers is a leap further away from Uncle Tupelo-style introspective ruminating in favor of shameless ambition, which has already been compared to early Bruce Springsteen.

Nichols is out to prove himself with this record. Moreso than the prior releases, this album is driven by balls out ego and the results are fantastic. This is a Rock Record, first and foremost. It's driving, it's loud, it's messy in places, and it's a damn fun ride, even though you can picture yourself losing a limb or an eye in spots.

The lead track is "What Else Would You Have Me Be", a heartfelt plea of hard living lovers, half of which have appear to have taken on a less eventful lifestyle. "I'd take you out at night," begs Nichols, "buy you cigarettes and whiskey drinks / always ended up in some fight, isn't that how good love is supposed to be / you used to love me, drunk and running wild in the streets / how else would you have me be". Adding piano as it frantically climaxes, it tapers back down before leaping into the quickly paced, "I Don't Wanna Be the One", adding "I don't wanna be the one who wants you so damn much / I don't wanna be the one, who's running out of luck".

After the pretty straightforward Lucero number, "San Francisco", the doors are blown off with "I Can Get Us Out of Here Tonight", a Born to Run-style anthem that does just damn fine without Big Man cranking out a sax solo. One of the finest pure rock songs I've heard in a long time, period.

You can catch your breath a bit with the next two tracks, but then "The Mountain" mixes a little twang, organ and big drums to pull a page out of the Drive By Truckers' playbook: "My daddy lost most everything / on horses, whiskey and weddin' rings". "The Mountain" also introduces a shift in sound for the record. It sounds modern, yet slightly dated, in the way that I expected the last Sleater-Kinney to sound after reading all the reviews proclaiming a big 1970s rock sound. I didn't buy it with Sleater-Kinney, but this is very real. "The Mountain" has a break with a soaring guitar/organ break that would make Robbie Robertson & Garth Hudson proud.

Next up is "Sing Me No Hymns", the king hell monster that spawned the title of this post. It's a stubborn wall shaker with huge guitars that immediately make me think of Blue Oyster Cult's "Godzilla", albeit a Godzilla frustrated by failure, half cranked on plastic jug whiskey swatting away the good samaritans with "of all the things that I feel that need be done / to pay back what I owe, for all the blood and lost ones / till I feel the proper time has come, leave me be and let me drink / I need no more of your good intentions."

"She's Just That Kind of Girl" adds the organ to a Replacements-style rocker before Nichols settles the album to a close with "On the Way Back Home" and "She Wakes When She Dreams".

I've listened to this album non-stop since opening it this morning, and I keep revealing pieces and parts that were definitely not apparent on the work PC with shoddy speaks. I wish it had been available about five months earlier, as it is a great summer driving record. Though he gets overly raspy in places, even to the point of sounding like Shane MacGowan in spots, Ben Nichols continues to grow as a songwriter, and he seems to be composing with more confidence and expectations than before. If only parents would stop pussying up our children with shit like Death Cab for Cutie, we could make Lucero some obscene amounts of money in exchange for their hard work.

If you'd like to Pre-Order, buy straight from the band at LuceroMusic.com

Mark H. » Music » The Tattle Tales - "Fuck The Ergs!"

2006-07-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

"You Said It Was a Good Size! 7" Review"

The Tattle Tales
Fuck The Ergs!
(Rally Records)

"Sometimes I Forget The Rules To Rock'N'Roll" would knock an Ozma fan right out their socks, with scads of hot moog hooks practically towing the lightly fuzz-polished guitars and harmonies of Christian Stefos and guest vocalist Hallie Unlovable. It's a catchy tune no doubt, but at this moment in time, my vision is 20/20 due to hindsight. The formula for the song seems similar to the stuff the Tattle Tales put out on their previous release 3 years ago. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but the flipside is entirely different and unquestionably better than anything the band has done up to this point on the needle.

"The Things People Know" is a short, lo-fi acoustic performance featuring singer/keyboardist Anya Kaats, who puts forth a small glimpse-of-life teenage romance tune without an ounce of apprehension. The east coast version of Lois Maffeo, perhaps? It's not entirely impossible to make a better electric version of this song, but it would be very, very difficult.

"Banana Split" is the best Tattle Tales song I've ever heard. It's the main reason the slab has conquered my turntable during these past few weeks. A catchy, rollicking pop punk song, this time with the always welcome '50s vibe, a bouncy bass, great backing vox, and a boogie-woogie piano. All the ingredients are sweet, and the mixed result is downright scrumptious. If this is the appetizer for the full-length, then consider my appetite whetted.

Darrin Frew » Music » Alexi Murdoch and the Singer Songwriter Morass

2006-07-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

Singer songwriters It's their ever-so-humble arrogance that makes you want to scream.

You see, 40 years after The Beatles played Indian scales backwards on distorted guitars and then looped them through a mellotron all the while chanting extracts from The Tibetan Book of the Dead, hoards of buttoned down expectants in sensible shoes still insist on springing forth with the hopelessly misguided belief that some rudimentary guitar chords hushly strummed over the banal reminiscences of the not-so-deep (typical lyric; boy disobeys mother, climbs tree, falls grazing knee) but definitely introverted, qualifies in 2006 - 2006, people! - as a legitimate form of entertainment.

They are most definitely wrong.

Step forward then production no. 18447 from the ruffly haired convey belt of tat - or Alexi Murdoch as his designer spectacled, demographics wielding, negotiating-with-an-ad-agency-
on-the-cellphone-RIGHT-NOW! publicists would rather he be called when he emerges, beautiful but dim, from the converted barn that he probably lives in.

The album is called 'Time Without Consequence', a title laden with all the dark humour you’ll ever need as you ponder the 59 minutes 40 seconds of wasted life endured while ensconced in his not particularly unique brand of laid back turpitude.

Over the course of this musical equivalent of flipping through carpet samples – ON A SUNDAY – he offers such sage advice as “don’t forget how to breath”, produces Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe style epigrammatical genius (“you don’t need strength to be strong” and, yes, you have correctly identified sarcasm) waxes lyrical about windmills and assorted rustic imagery bullshit and then fries our brains with his out there musical experimentation. That’s right, he uses a cymbal on one track to augment the folkie guitar.

All this leads irrevocably to a single conclusion.

If you’re single and have worn an ankle length gypsy skirt at some point this summer, there is the remote possibility that, at times of hormonal imbalance, you might actually find something attractive in Murdoch’s hackneyed troubadouring. However, to we more hard-headed fans of music, I’m afraid Mr Murdoch represents nothing more than an other stale acoustic drone ripe for a slapping with his own fashionable galosh.

Hip-D PodBlast » Harmonic Happenstance » "Phantasies" to "Bye Bye Love"

2006-07-22T15:34:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a series of what I like to refer to as a "harmonic happenstance," which is when the "Shuffle Songs" function on my iPod magically reveals a perfect transition from one song to another.

Last night while en route to pick up my Father-in-Law from Love Field, one such "harmonic happenstance" made itself known to me in the transition from "Phantasies" by Stephen Malkmus to "Bye Bye Love" by the Cars.

Based on the provided MP3, you be the judge...

Loog » Food » BBQ TBD

2006-07-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

This post was supposed to be about Bar-B-Q, specifically, the start of a series of posts about my adventures sampling the best and worst roadside joints that are dotting all of the backroads -- and let's face it, this being Alabama, they are ALL back roads -- that I travel betwixt and between places like Daleville, Tuscaloosa, Muscle Shoals, Alex City, and Eufala.

But, like most projects cooked up with half a buzz from strong drink and the half remembered kick of ambition, it has begun in failure. Failure and a promise to actually accomplish it next time.

Like our friend Ol Tassle-Booted Tom Petty said "Lemme get to the point": I got nothin right now of consequence, but I will post about steaming hunks of chopped pork, all sorts and flavors of sauce, slaw, beans and Brunswick stew, as soon as I can.

Elvis Fu » Music » Neil Young - "Till the Morning Comes"

2006-07-18T17:29:00.000-07:00

"Gone in 80 Seconds"

I consider myself to be a pretty big Neil Young fan, but I've been hit by Neil all over again just this week.

Right after "Southern Man" on Neil Young's After the Gold Rush, "Till the Morning Comes" needs just over a minute to pull back on the reins and settle the pace after Young's confrontation anthem has let go of your collar.

The beauty of "Till the Morning Comes", like so much of Young's work, lies in its simplicity and intimacy. The only lyrics are "I'm gonna give you till the morning comes, till the morning comes" repeated twice, then a taste of French Horn before Stephen Stills and Crazy Horse (Danny Whitten, Nils Lofgren & Ralph Molina) join in harmony to ride the soft breeze right back out again, but not before Stills can throw in his trademark, "whooaaa whooa".

Yail Bloor » TV » Cable News

2006-07-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

I am a cable news junkie. There is no easy way around it. While most normal people watch sitcoms, reality shows, sports, movies or whatever it is that people watch, I--if left to my own devices, am completely content to sit in for two or three hours of half witted hosts, barely literate "experts" and [no adjectives necessary] politicians, all jabbering at each other like the toothless denizens of a crystal meth convention. It probably says something about me, but I can get enough.

The main problem is that I like The News, and aside from the network news, there is no such thing as news anymore which is kinda funny and ironic: we now have all of these cable news outlets but very little actual news. Now our news is delivered with an endless side helping of commentary or not at all because these news genius' occasionally abandon the news altogether in favor of documentaries. To wit: Last Sunday night at 11:00 PM EST I just wanted to know what was going on in the world and was faced with this lineup:

CNN: CNN Presents (a North Korea documentary)
CNN Headline News (Nancy Grace or Glenn Beck)
Fox News (Oliver North's War Stories)
MSNBC - Lockup (those "inside a prison" documentaries)

NO NEWS! What the hell happened to CNN Headline News? I remember when you could know what was on Headline News just by looking at a clock. And now they have mussed up the works trying to compete with the others when they should be doing what they were chartered to do. Here's a suggestion: Your ratings couldn't be any worse if you just showed the news on a loop again; even the loneliest guy in prison can't stand to look at Nancy Grace, and while Fox has done well with a radio talker in Sean Hannity, at least he delivers something even if that something is ghoulsh and frightening. CNN's cheap imitation of the Hannity/O'Reilly juggernaut is Glen Beck and it feels like what it is: cheap.

Dammit. I really wanted to devote this to the new primetime lineup at MSNBC and why I hate it, but I guess I'll have to save it for next time.

Elvis Fu » Music » Thin Lizzy - "Jailbreak"

2006-07-14T18:12:00.000-07:00

"Tonight there's gonna be trouble, some of us may not survive"

…those should have been Pete Coors' last shouted words as he left that wedding in May.

Don’t let the beer commercials fool you. There’s a good album or two lurking behind the Foghat and Nazareth albums that seem to populate the stacks of so many marketing execs.

Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak was released in 1976. With the hit single, "The Boys Are Back in Town", Thin Lizzy achieved not only a commercial breakthrough in the U.S., but also cold filtered immortality among the laziest ad men serving the beverage industry. But get past "The Boys Are Back in Town", and you'll see a loud hard rock band featuring a twin lead guitar attack and fronted by a half-Brazilian, half-Irish wannabe poet capable of much more than the fist pumping and Bromance inducing of "Boys".

Though lead singer/bassist Phil Lynott has a tendency forget his audience and overextend himself with florid lyrics, he is a more than capable songwriter penning real life tales of working class heroes influenced by traditional Irish literature and folklore. Think Bruce Springsteen + Van Morrison, though obviously toned down a bit. Add into the mix harmonic lead guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson with drummer Brian Downey, who is able to aggressively drive the songs without resorting to big hard rock foolishness like the ol' blickum-blickum-blickum horseshit.

However, where Lynott excels, especially on Jailbreak, is the ability to slide almost effortlessly from the big arena roof-shakers [ "Jailbreak", "Warriors", "Boys" ] down to the smooth—yet mournful— groove of "Running Back", originally slated to be the first single, "Fight or Fall", a mellow call for racial harmony, to the country-tinged anthem "Cowboy Song", which somehow never made it's way onto Classic Rock Radio®.

Jailbreak is a great windows-down summer driving record, with quickly paced songs in a natural order. I'll admit it though, "Emerald" and "Warriors" are not good, unless you're cracking a few Old Milwaukees on the tailgate of a work issued F-250 after a long week at the lumber yard. Despite the minor hard rock excesses, Lynott & Co. have a fine rock and roll swagger, but unlike their peers it is backed up with some brains and some subtlety rather than a giant stack of Marshall amps.

Loog » Politics » The War, Monger

2006-07-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

The War. Bombs Over Baghdad. It’s just like Vietnam. The War It’s a quagmire. The War. Stay the course. The War. Cut and Run. The War. The Invasion was under false pretenses. The War. Bush Lied. The War. Cheney’s making Billions. The War. Valerie Plame. The War. Support Our Troops. The War. When Clinton Lied No One Died. The War. No Blood for Oil. The War. Go It Alone. The War. Worst Foreign Policy Decision in our Nation’s History. The War. Protecting Our Freedom. The War. Nigga had yellow-cake son!

It is easy to resort to sloganeering and bumper sticker-style arguments. It is easy to take the gimlet-eyed view of uber-patriots who “Thank the Soldiers for Protecting Our Freedom,” all the while debasing our national symbols with their gaudy flag/eagle/yellow-ribbon stickers plastered all over the back of their cars, never lifting a finger, or lifting their foot off the gas to help the cause.

It is also easy to take the pessimistic route, and think that only the stupid or the underclass are even in the Armed Forces, and that the are fighting a battle for people who don’t care about them. A battle so we can keep our faces filled with fries. A battle fought by people who have wasted their lives.

After being bombarded with these messages for over three years now, I can barely discern a meaning on either side. I don’t think either care about the people fighting the war. I don’t they even care why we are there in the first place, and even if they do care, they will never agree what that reason is, or more importantly what to do about it now. I think that both sides just want to be right.

It hit me today, though, that the war will come home for some of us. The War is fought by people who will understand the consequences of conflict better than anyone reading this column ever can. Three people I know came home from Iraq within the past 3 months, and all of them have taken different paths there, and different paths home.

One, a Marine Corps Lieutenant, joined over a sense of duty after a solid if not spectacular career playing fullback at a large SEC school. His dad played there, too, and afterward made a boatload of money, so this guy didn’t need to join the Marines, His community rallied around him. They sent his unit care packages, and notes with things like “Thanks for doing what you do” written in them. He came back unscathed and will most likely go on to a long and prosperous life, where at the end he will be celebrated and lauded for his courageous service to his country.

The next, an army reserve specialist guarding the Baghdad Airport, came home to Walter Reed with 100% hearing loss, but with all limbs and brain function intact. His mother said “As long as he’s alive, we can figure it out. They have great hearing aids these days.” He’ll probably do some rehab work and get whatever job he can hold. Or maybe just live off disability. He’s got a good enough support system that he likely won’t fall through the cracks.

The last, an Army corporal came home to find his wife had taken up with another man. She even told him he “needed time alone with the kids,” to go out and tryst with her paramour. He found out, and smashed her head into the hood of the stove while she was cooking a pizza. Cops, sirens, beat-a-bitch charges, divorce. Now he cannot re-enroll in the military school he left to serve in the war, and he is going to lose his future commission, his wife, and his kids.

I understand that there is a duty to service in defense of your country. I also understand that there is a duty to question the decisions your government makes. Such is the duality of the American thing, to steal a phrase from Patterson Hood.

What I don’t understand is why we are not even having a conversation about what to do now. Is the war about oil? If so, how to prevent another? Is the war about establishing a beachhead in the Middle East to protect our interests and bring the fight to the terrorists? If so, is the fact that we haven’t had any attacks on American soil since proof that it is working? Do we need to wean ourselves off of oil? If so, how to do it without destroying the infrastructure and economy of our country? Some Democrats (including this one) would like to see a “Space Race for Energy Independence.” The Republican philosophy seems to be that the market will correct itself when needed, so there no use in tree hugger shit like “bio-diesel.”

See, the sloganeering is easy. It’s the solutions that require thought and compromise.

FT » Film » "Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus"

2006-07-11T09:08:00.000-07:00

I've really become a big fan of Jim White over the past few years, so when I stumbled upon his film "Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus" while surfing past The Sundance Channel the other night, I immediately stopped down and began watching. I was expecting some kind of full-length performance piece, and while both White and his music are prominently featured, there are several others along for the ride.

Joining White at various stops along his roadtrip through Dixie are Johnny Dowd, 16 Horsepower, The Handsome Family and David Johansen (yes, THAT David Johansen!). I saw Dowd open for Neko Case last year, and he is one bizarre dude. His presence here adds a twisted bit of eerieness to the already skewed proceedings, and you can almost imagine him as White's hard-livin' "Uncle Johnny." Along with 16 Horsepower, The Handsome Family and Johansen, Dowd and White's musical interludes powerfully punctuate the scenery and those who reside within.

What really struck me about this film was how closely White examines the dichotomy between good and evil in the American South, and how folks in small Southern towns are almost universally either zealously devoted to their church and their version of God or completely consumed with the desire to drink, drug and fornicate. No sides are taken here, as various Pentacostal-style churches are visted with scenes of people speaking in tongues, while seedy dive bars are also seen with patrons shown whooping it up with every bit of intensity witnessed inside those "fringe" churches across town.

Like the South, the pace of this film might be too slow for some people, but I found it to be a thrilling ride, regardless.

Darrin Frew » Music » Half Time Analysis

2006-07-09T04:27:00.000-07:00

5.It’s been a strange year for music. Surplus of ‘quite good’ but deficient of ‘great’, 2006 has so far gently pleased rather than blown away. My number five, Jenny Lewis came out of the traps early with ‘Rabbit Fur Coat’ and although it seems to have divided opinion in the wider worldit has hung on in there on my list. For me, it was a pleasant surprise to see someone try to be lyrically ambitious even if she didn’t always get it quite right and the Watson twin’s contributions were an undoubted highlight, taking most of the songs to a different level.

4. I’m afraid to say that as I head towards clichéd old age I’ve found myself listening to more and more woolly jumpered singer-songwriter types and less in the way of rock or electronic music. It was therefore of a great relief to me to have Nathan Fake make my list and therefore retain at least some pulse of modernity. His soaring M83-only-good electronica has been perhaps the surprise find of the year. In particular ‘The Sky Was Pink’ makes you feel as if you’ve just been sucked into the extendable nozzle of God’s own vacuum cleaner headed for the glorious white-out death of Hoover bag heaven. I’ll feel less guilty about doing that to spiders as a result.

3. At three we have those perennial favourites Belle & Sebastian whom I now feel utterly confident to leaden with the epithet ‘one of the great bands of the last ten years’. The signs were there for all to see on the last album but the hushed Nick Drake has been almost completely ditched in favour of glamtastic double tracked drums, Ernie Isley style guitar solos and Funkadelic homage’s. Murdoch’s vocals say it all. Where once they were endearingly cracked and out of tune, now they ooze confidence and, dare I say it, sex appeal.

2. We waited and waited for Neko Case to follow up her last release with a ‘proper’ album and when it did arrive it seemed to encapsulate the year in music. There is very little you could point to as being weak on ‘Fox Confessor’ and yet at the same time it lacked that something that made ‘Blacklisted’ one of the greats. Still, we all know Neko’s voice is one of the marvels of the age and as such the number two spot is hardly unbefitting.

1. My number one from the first half of the year belongs to M Craft, an artist completely new to these ears, although apparently something of an old hand in the music biz. It’s to the Australian's eternal credit that he seems to crafted his own ‘classic’ 60’s/70’s sound without sounding, as so many modern bands do, completely derivative. Having said that the best track on the album ‘Sweets’ bares a passing resemblance to a sort of soft focus ‘Revolution Blues’. If you’re going to have influences, though, Neil Young seems a good pick.

My Top Twenty list.

1	m craft	SILVER AND FIRE
2	neko case	FOX CONFESSOR BRINGS THE FLOOD
3	belle & sebastian	THE LIFE PURSUIT
4	nathan fake	DROWNING IN A SEA OF LOVE
5	jenny lewis & the watson twins	RABBIT FUR COAT
6	sonic youth	RATHER RIPPED
7	cortney tidwell	CORTNEY TIDWELL
8	mogwai	MR BEAST
9	camera obscura	LET’S GET OUT THIS COUNTRY
10	two gallants	WHAT THE TOLL TELLS
11	isobel campbell & mark lanegan	BALLAD OF THE BROKEN SEAS
12	the strokes	FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EARTH
13	roddy frame	WESTERN SKIES
14	the fiery furnaces	BITTER TEA
15	cat power	THE GREATEST
16	clap your hands say yeah	CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH
17	morrissey	RINGLEADER OF THE TORMENTED
18	the broken family band	BALLS
19	megan reilly	LET YOUR GHOST GO
20	el perro del mar	EL PERRO DEL MAR

Darrin Frew » Tribute » Tom Weir: One Final Hike

2006-07-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

I have never been a fan of the indie popsters Aberfeldy but they did record a song called 'Tom Weir' and this gives me the tenuous link I require to post something about as far removed from pop culture as you can possible get.

The subject of Aberfeldys song, the one and only Tom Weir, was a great personal inspiration to myself and it was with great sadness that I read of his death last week, aged 91.

Tom was born into one of the poorest areas of Glasgow in 1914. To escape his rather grim surroundings he would get the bus out of the city and climb the Campsie Fells, a rugged spine of high cliffed hills that hem the city of Glasgow in from the North. It was here that he fell in love with the country side, changing his own life and in due course, the lives of many others.

After serving in the Second World War as an artillery officer in the battle for Italy, he became a full time outdoorsman and was one of the first men to explore the mountains of Nepal. He also explored other remote and mountainous areas including the Atlas range in North African and the mountains of Greenland and Iran but his great love was always the highlands of his home country.

He spent most of his life thereafter promoting and protecting the wild places of Scotland long before the term 'environmentalist' had even been coined. In particular his television programme 'Weir's Way', broadcast in the 70's and 80's, almost single-handedly inspired two generations of climbers, walkers, rural historians and environmentalists.

Tom, who was still climbing mountains well into his eighties, didn't believe in heaven and it's perhaps just as well for if anyone belonged wholly to the Scottish soil it was him.

Unending thanks Tom.

Tom Weir 1914 - 2006.

Loog » Memoir » "How The Hell..." Chapter 1

2006-07-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

"How the Hell Did I End Up Passed Out in Ken Stabler's Motel Room?!?"
Chapter 1 - Band of Horses Outgallop MMJ

Much of my day to day is spent navigating the highways and biways of the Great State of Alabama, or as I have dubbed it "The Tree Tunnel." So much time, in fact, is spent between Mobile and Montgomery on I-65, that I know every exit (my favorite is 107, which reads Grace and GARland, which I feel may be my spiritual home) and can even tell you where I am based on smell (Lowndes County has the waft of paper mills, somewhere around Evergreen you get the funk of what I can only guess is Alabama's biggest landfil)

So, from slow and sweet Josh Rouse tunes in the morning to the loosy-goosey, early morning stoned pimp vibe of The Deadstring Brothers, to the Bass of 6, head knockin shit of the King of The South, much of my taste in music is shaped by what is good for listening on the road.

I will be dedicating my next few posts to Road Staples and songs you gotta have for driving in the country with the windows down and the speakers cranked (with a heavy assist from such Obnerd staples as Yail "Consistently the Funniest Dude I Know" Bloor and Billy "Uncle Monger" Radlciffe.

This week I had the distinct pleasure of discovering The Band of Horses, and in particular the song "The Funeral." Derris put this on after a long day of boating and drinking at last weekend's Fourth of July No Pants Clambake, after he told me "Dude, playing The Rolling Stones 1976 World Tour Rehearsal Tapes is punishable by DEATH in this state."

BoH are often compared to, or slandered as, cheap-jack My Morning Jacket imitators, and I have been the subject of much derision of late from such people as Hip D's feared, iron-fisted ruler/Lummox in Chief Sir Bob Bland, for saying that "The Funeral my be better than any song MMJ has ever written." And, with the exception of "Mahgeeta" or "Off the Record," this week's back-to-back-to-back listenings bears this fact out. (As an aside I once spent the entire 3 hour drive from The Doktor's house in Philly all the way back to Washington, DC listening to R.E.M.'s "It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)" so it is really nothing for me to listen to a song three, or even five, times in a row.)

So, though it is moody and has that echo-y, recorded in a barn sound, and many of the songs are slow burns as opposed to balls out rockers, BoH is definitely road worn and weary, but worth the time.

jasmine » Music » Metallica - "The Unforgiven"

2006-07-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

"you labeled me, i labeled you!!!!!!"

would you believe that i'm too lazy to get up and turn off "the unforgiven" by metallica? it's an experiment to see how much of this i can take before throwing a fit or worse, my stereo.

my god, i can remember when this song came out in 1991. i was a freshman in high school and i wanted nothing more than to attend a metallica concert. of course, my mom wasn't having it because she grew up on sabbath. i think she assumed that hetfield ate bats or something. so i listened to the tape over and over and over again, letting the teen angst build in my awkward, hormonal body. no one understood me! metallica understood me!

so, here i am, 15 years later, listening to the same song which made me weep as a kid. so far, all it's making me want to do is kick a wall and purge my brain of all memories of metallica. a sampling of the awful lyrics:

New blood joins this earth
And quickly he's subdued
Through constant pained disgrace
The young boy learns their rules

With time the child draws in
This whipping boy done wrong
Deprived of all his thoughts
The young man strugggles on and on he's known
A vow unto his own
That never from this day
His will they'll take away

what was i thinking? that's not dark. that's just pure drama.

luckily, i discovered pearl jam, nirvana, ned's atomic dustbin, teenage fanclub, hoodoo gurus, and liz phair not too soon after. thank god.

note: i do love me some old metallica. i'm just ripping on this song. carry on.

Darrin Frew » Music » Prince Far-I

2006-07-06T15:59:00.000-07:00

Raising Awareness Part 1
Because not all old music is lame-0
Part 1 - Prince Far-I

When one thinks of the great sounds of Jamaica, most will think of the echo soaked bass of dub or Ska's skanking guitar. Some may even site the extraordinary and unique niyabinghi drummers. Such a pity then that The Voice of Thunder remains relatively unrecognised.

The Voice of Thunder belonged to Michael Williams, better known to the world as Prince Far-I, and as the moniker might suggest it was truly a force of nature. When Prince Far-I did his thing (you couldn't really call it singing, more, well, rumbling) people definitely sat up and took notice. No one ever sounded like they meant business more than Prince Far-I's ominous patois inflected baritone could. As well as sounding like he meant business Prince Far-I also looked like he meant business. A huge man with a giant beard and that sort of face you might expect to find on the roughest deck of a pirate ship, it was actually his imposing physical presence that, in a way, got him his first break on the Jamaican music scene.

While working as a bouncer and studio security guard for the legendary Coxsone Dodd, Williams was desperately handed the mike and ushered into the booth when DJ King Stitt failed to show up at a recording session. However, success was far from instant and he was soon working again as a security guard at Kingston docks, DJing at the weekends on Sir Mike the Musical Dragon's sound system under the name King Cry Cry, reputedly due to his tendency to get so angry during his politically charged rants on mic as to burst into tears.

After a lull of several years his recording career got back on track again in 1973 when he worked on several hit singles with, amongst others, The Skatalites Tommy McCook, and he was able to generate enough cash to form his own label Tuff Cry. The first release on Tuff Cry - the excellently heavy '354 Skank' - immediately caught the attention of London based music fans, including producer Adrian Sherwood, and Far-I finally began to cultivate a fan base both at home and abroad.

1978 saw Far-I at the peak of his critical acclaim with the release of the LP 'Under Heavy Manners', which included several huge selling singles in Jamaica, and the result was a subsequent five album contract with Virgin.

Sadly though, as with so many Jamaican musicians (including King Tubby, who had used Far-I on many of his dubs) Prince Far-I met his end as the victim of the senseless and endemic violence he had so often berated at the microphone. On 15th September 1983, armed men entered his home and shot him, his wife and a friend. No suspects or motive were ever discovered. Worse still, The Voice of Thunder was silenced forever.

But not forever. Keep your eyes (and ears) peeled for the next Hip-D Pod Cast to sample for yourself the great man's 'rockstone' voice.

Recommended: Prince Far-I 'Silver and Gold 1973 - 1979' Blood and Fire Records, 2005

stacey » General » Move along, there's nothing to see here...

2006-07-05T21:03:00.000-07:00

I had been waiting for that one brilliant stroke of pure Blogging genius to triumphantly usher in my arrival to Hip Displeasure...

Then, I realized I haven't had a stroke of genius in quite some time and, in regards to pop culture, the only movies I've seen this year in the theatre were Cars and Nacho Libre. Still though, Owen Wilson is hott right now and I paid for half of my Nacho Libre ticket in quarters. I'm not sure what that says, but it's gotta say something. All the hip chicks are down with coin purses, perhaps?

Regardless, this is my first post for the sake of posting a first post. Yeah. I hope I'll attain some sort of greatness. That, or I hope I will go out in a fiery, ranting, raving nonsensical post about "them" watching me and how I'll have to go live underground (fingers crossed for the latter [!]).

On a tiny musical note, everyone is covering Gnarls Barkley's 'Crazy', but have you heard Ray LaMontagne's version yet? That voice makes me happy (in the pants).

Hip-D PodBlast » FT Picks » The Long Winters / Donald Fagen / Split Enz

2006-07-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

In order to allow you to hear the music about which we rave, I have set up a recurring mini-podcast called "Hip-D PodBlast." Each one will contain three songs featured in our S.I.C.K. or A.T.O.M. segments. This first one is a 10:09 14 MB 192-bit MP3 with the following tracks:

1. "Teaspoon" - The Long Winters
2. "Rhymes" - Donald Fagen
3. "One Step Ahead" - Split Enz

There isn't any DJ chatter or anything else -- just the music. Enjoy!

FT » Music » Split Enz - "One Step Ahead"

2006-07-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

Yeah, this track's over 20 years old, but stumbling upon long-forgotten gems like this is one of my favorite things about setting my 60 GB iPod to random. I really dig the air of menace throughout this song. These Kiwis have to be one of the most criminally underappreciated bands of the early '80s. Time hasn't been kind to many of the acts from the New Wave movement, but this is one band -- and especially one song -- that's held up extremely well over the years. Good on ya, Brothers Finn!

Hip-D TV » Lo-Def Theater » "The Garage Sale"

2006-07-03T14:58:00.000-07:00

We here at Hip-D are proud to introduce our latest recurring feature: "Lo-Def Theater." Because I am not blessed with any semblance of God-given artistic ability, including anything remotely approaching drawing skills, my only hope to visually put forth my creative vision is to do so by hook or by crook. In this case, "by hook" means jerry-rigging PowerPoint and Windows Movie Maker, while "by crook" very accurately desribes my blatant intellectual theft of copyrighted still photos and licensed music.

So, until a series of exorbitant fines and eventual jail time separates me from my laptop, throw some Jiffy Pop on the hibachi, sit back and enjoy the show...

FT » TV » Shatner Sings "Taxi" on "Dinah!"

2006-07-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

"Another Sunday Shat to Hell"

So, here I find myself smack dab in the middle of this glorious four-day weekend (God bless America!) with more free time than I've had before me since Spiro Agnew was still drawing a government paycheck, and instead of doing something productive like dusting the blades of my ceiling fan or shampooing my landlord's blood out of the carpet, I've spent the vast majority of this Sunday doing nothing but watching clip after brain-rotting clip at You Tube.

My greatest find so far has been yet another William Shatner vocal interpretation of a '70s pop classic; this time: Harry Chapin's poignant "Taxi." Here's the first of what will likely be countless instances of leeching existing online content in lieu of actually coming up with something original...ENJOY!

Shatner sings "Taxi"

Loog » General » First Salvo

2006-06-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

The Dumb and The *Hands Clapping* are painful afflictions that one would not likely think someone of my obvious talent, or intellect has. Nevertheless, I was unable to upload a picture yet. Teh whole re-sizing thing is beyond my limited mental faculty. Anyway, I will use this space, at Bob's gracious request, to harangue and praise the undeserving and deserving alike. Rant about terrible muisc, unreadable books, and God's real gift to humanity: ALL THINGS PORK.

Thanks Bob for getting me off my (humongous) lazy ass, and forcing me to write. I can deal with massive pressure, and failing, but I cannot deal with dissapointing those that have a (strangely) high opinion of me. Hope this makes sense. Check back for an update of this weekend's 4th of July No Pants Clambake at Dr. Derris' mountain compound. (And maybe a music review or something topical)

jasmine » Music » d.l.t.t.j.!

2006-06-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

Doesn't really have the same charm as FT's acronyms, now does it? One of my contributions to HD will be... drumroll, please... "Don't listen to that, Jasmine!" I'm going to go on a downloading spree and get all sorts of music that I wouldn't normally listen to. You know, current Top 40 singles, extreme right wing country, hate rock, contemporary jazz, stuff like that. I'll listen to it and tell you how horrible or delightful it is. Word.

And yes, I did steal my title from "Don't eat that, Steve!", a popular blog which features, well, Steve and his sometimes nasty eating habits.

I'm off to find some gems.

xo-jasmine

FT » Music » Donald Fagen - "Rhymes"

2006-06-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

I've been a huge Steely Dan fan for decades (yeah, I'm old), but while I've gleaned some mild enjoyment from the 21st Century Dan, they seem to be stuck in too mellow of a groove. And although the vast majority of the latest solo album from Donald Fagen -- Morph the Cat -- remains comfortably ensconsed in aural velvet, the album's closing track packs an unexpected wallop straight from the glory days of Stax. If I didn't know any better (and I'm too lazy to look up the liner notes), I'd swear this was a Staple Singers song with Fagen sitting in for Pops. It's nice to be able to respect myself again and openly admit that Steely makes me happy. Yeah, I know this is officially solo Fagen, but I need to come up with some forced references to keep all of my forced acronyms company.

FT » Music » The Long Winters - "Putting the Days to Bed"

2006-06-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

This superb Summer soundtrack is pristine power pop played perfectly. As I discovered last night, it is particularly ideal for listening to in the car after dropping your mother-in-law off at the airport. What really sets these guys apart from the rest is that their fantastic arrangements are matched by their deft lyrical touch. Whether it's a former groupie's cautionary tale to her daughter ("Honest") or what very well could be (but most certainly isn't) an ode to George Costanza's unborn daughter ("Seven"), this is their most complete work to date. When the time comes to put this year to bed, this album just might be on top of all the rest.

FT » General » W.T.F.? L.O.L.!

2006-06-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

If T.A.T.U. taught us anything, it's that America loves Russian teen lesbians. But those sapphic commies also provided us with a valuable bonus lesson: America loves forced acronyms. From M*A*S*H to S.W.A.T. to S.N.U.H., we just can't get enough of those clumsily-formed abbreviations. And since our mission here at Hip-D is to unapologetically pander to our most coveted of all target demographics, the Lowest Common Denominator (or, should I say, L.C.D.), we'd like to introduce a pair of painfully constructed acronyms of our own into the blog lexicon...

A.T.O.M.
Whenever there's an album I end up listening to on the iPod equivalent of endless loop, I will make a point of bestowing A.T.O.M., or Album That Owns Me, status upon it. This will typically include a half-assed blurb that no respectable publication would rightly consider a review.

S.I.C.K.
Whether during the course of listening to an entire album or simply letting the iPod randomize individual tracks from my entire collection, I often become overly enamored with a specific tune. So, every time I can't get one out of my head, you'll get S.I.C.K., which stands for Song I Can't Kick.

Well, that about wraps up our little anagram discussion for today. I hope you found this to be scintillating. If not, go "Van Halen's 9th album" yourself!

FT » General » Back in Blog

2006-06-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

Somebody cue Brian Johnson, because I'm back, baby!

It's not really like I've got any more free time than I did when I decided to put Hip-D on hiatus, but I really miss having this outlet for my nonsensical rambling, so here I am. I'll probably hold off on writing any reviews until my year-end "Best Of" list, but will still try to post here fairly regularly. I doubt it will be every day, but I'm pretty sure I'll slap something up here at least once per week.

OK, now that I've resurrected this rotting corpse, I guess I'd better start coming up with some type of content...I'll go shake the cobwebs out of my gray matter and see if I can't channel the narcotically-enhanced ghost of Hunter S.

Indefinite Hiatus

2005-05-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

I have finally come to the realization that due to work, family and other commitments, I will be unable to devote the amount of time neccessary to properly maintain the Hip Displeasure website. Though it originally started as only a hobby, eventually it became read by too many people whose opinions I value to treat it as a mere leisure time diversion. I wouldn't feel right posting substandard content just to keep the site going. The requisite level of quality takes more time than I have at my disposal right now. If I ever get to a point where I can once again spend enough time on this site to maintain the level of quality my readers deserve, I will definitely resume my postings. But until then, I'm afraid Hip Displeasure will be on an indefinite hiatus.

Doves - Some Cities

2005-04-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

Capitol

Manchester's Doves have spent the past half-decade establishing themselves at the forefront of 21st century British dream pop, and while they haven't completely abandoned their spaced-out sound, Some Cities is a refreshingly guitar-driven voyage. The slow burn of the album's title track is the perfect opener to get things fully ramped up for what follows. Sure, "Black & White Town" is a copy-paste of the backbeat to the Martha Reeves classic "Heatwave," but fuzzy licks and Jimi Goodwin's velvety voice add more layers of texture to the groove than all the layers of Aqua Net needed to support those towering Vandella bee hives.

A few selected moments of trippiness can still be found on Some Cities, both in the swirling notes of "Almost Forgot Myself" and the chill Zero 7 vibe found on "The Storm," which is highlighted by an incredibly ethereal harmonica solo. I can't get enough of "Snowden," though it may be due to my adolescent obsession with Star Trek, because it sure sounds like the lead vocalist from that show's theme song makes a triumphant guest appearance on this track. And while it's nice to be whisked away to a planet where Denny Crane makes out with lizard women, there's also some heady stuff to be found here. Perhaps the most potent song on Some Cities is "Walk in Fire," which is a brutally direct five-and-a-half minute intervention, driven by such pointed interrogatives as, "Is there nothing you'd not do With a drink in you?" Drunk or not, even if it takes more than 12 steps to get to your local record store, you need to drown yourself in this intoxicating record.

Josh Rouse - Nashville

2005-03-27T14:40:00.000-08:00

Rykodisc

Between my childhood fascination with Hee-Haw and my numerous trips as an adult to my brother-in-law's place in southern Davidson County, the city of Nashville holds a special place in my gravy-filled heart. For years, "Music City" has been known solely as the epicenter of country music, but it has become an increasingly important indie hub in recent years, thanks to the emergence of such artists as Lambchop, The Shazam, and superb singer-songwriter Josh Rouse. After a handful of largely overlooked gems, most notably the playfully nostalgic pop found on his 2003 release, 1972, Nashville-based Rouse reaches new heights with an album named in honor of his adopted hometown.

On Nashville, Rouse showcases his versatility by weaving together the many elements and styles in which he has dabbled during his stellar career. While Nashville is by no means a country (or even alt-country) album, it does incorporate many of the components for which the music of this city is known, including pedal steel and upright bass. Each song is an intricately told story, many of which contain autobiographical overtones. The cream of the crop is "Middle School Frown," a poignant recounting of the new kid in town shunning his first real friend upon discovering said friend's unpopularity, punctuated by the shame-laced admission of respect resulting from adult retrospection ("You held your head high / When you walked down my street"). In another standout track, "Caroliña," Rouse sings, "in the Nashville sky shines a diamond bright," though none shines brighter right now than Rouse himself.

Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs

2005-03-12T13:34:00.000-08:00

Righteous Babe

As someone whose autobiography could easily be titled The Gluttonous Consumption of Bacon, I truly appreciate the imagery invoked by the name of Andrew Bird's latest album, The Mysterious Production of Eggs. And while it fails to unravel such mysteries as the fertilization of Jodie Foster (in the immortal words of Nigel Tufnel, "Best left unsolved, really."), it still manages to captivate the listener from beginning to end. Once again, Bird proves to be a multi-talented virtuoso, who is without a doubt the greatest whistler to come down the pike since Klaus Meine.

The tone of The Mysterious Production of Eggs deftly alternates between delicate ("Masterfade"), bombastic ("Fake Palindromes"), debonair ("Skin Is, My") and menacing ("Banking on a Myth"), thanks to a myriad of brilliantly complex arragements. Though the music is what calls you in, the lyrics are what keep you coming back for more. Bird's nimble wordplay ("They run you hot and cold like a rheostat -- I mean, a thermostat") adds depth to the rich texture that permeates this album. When he sings (in "Sovay"), "I was gettin' ready to threaten to be a threat," all I keep thinking is how he's woefully underestimating himself. This is an eggstremely serious contender for album of the year.

Robbers on High Street - Tree City

2005-03-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

New Line

My buddy Diamond Dave LooGAR, the distinguished senator from Redlands, often says, "Amatuers borrow; pros steal." An excellent example of this truism is the first full-length from NYC's appropriately-named Robbers on High Street, Tree City, which would likely be triggering a wave of Klaatuesque rumors had Spoon not recently ended their three-year hiatus by announcing the release date for their new album. Tree City doesn't sound like Spoon, it IS Spoon...only with different members. The song structure, melodies, subject matter and instrumentation are all pure Spoon, and singer Ben Trokan's voice is so identical to Britt Daniel that Trokan could easily prank call Ron Laffitte and get away with it.

At this stage of the game, all music is truly derivative to some extent, so the only bands who should be condemned for theft are those who do so poorly. Tree City is worthy of praise, not condemnation, for such stellar tracks as "Japanese Girls," "Amanda Green," "Dig the Lightning" and "Bring on the Terror," which demonstrate the handclaps, piano, tempo and even lyrics ("Sometimes I need a punch in the face / Sometimes I need a leg in the ass") that were signatures of Daniel and Co.'s earlier work. But Robbers on High Street should be recognized as a band in their own right, and not mere musical mimeographers, because there's also plenty of originality scattered among the small stakes lining the sidewalks of Tree City. Fans of quality music will dig this, even if you've never been previously Spoon-fed.

Crooked Fingers - Dignity & Shame

2005-02-27T12:45:00.000-08:00

Merge

For a guy who spent a decade in a band whose name invoked images of Robin Hood firing flaming arrows at steaming Nottingham turds, Eric Bachmann's music sure is purty, as evidenced by the latest album from Crooked Fingers (Bachmann's current nom de tune). Dignity & Shame leads off with "Islero," a bold and suspensful instrumental that sounds like something Cantinflas might listen to on his ayeayeayeayePod en route to a Mil Mascaras cage match. Mariachi horns aren't the only brilliantly incorporated instruments peppered throughout Dignity & Shame, as healthy portions of piano, lap steel, and conga only help to further enrich the sonic pallet.

Despite invoking such a wide array of styles, Dignity & Shame is immediately accessible, due in large part to a series of fantastic duets with silky-voiced siren Lara Meyerratken. "Call to Love" has the greatest potential to break big, though "Twilight Creeps" may have even more staying power. There's also plenty of raucousness to be had here, such as a deliciously reckless guitar solo unleashed during the last third of "Destroyer," the irresistable junkyard hoedown "Valerie," and the bad-ass bassline that propels "Coldways." There isn't a single sub-par moment on this entire album, though the title track just may trigger an interpretive dance by Ace and Gary at any moment. It's gonna take one hell of an album to knock this from the top spot in 2005.

Low - The Great Destroyer

2005-02-20T17:56:00.000-08:00

Sub Pop

If there's one thing viewers of the Paris Hilton sex tape came away with, other than a raging case of retinal gonorrhea, it's the realization that seemingly high-quality content can be absolutely ruined by the way it's recorded. Rick Solomon's disastrous directorial debut probably should have been called Behind the Green Lens, because of his ill-fated decision to film the celebutante coitus through a pair of Arthur Kent's '91-vintage night vision goggles. A similar fate befalls the latest Low album, The Great Destroyer, as otherwise superb songs are submerged in a sea of shot subwoofers.

While the relentless onslaught of distorted low-end gives the intense "Monkey" an added sense of urgency, it spoils many of the other tracks on The Great Destroyer, such as turning the tender "California" into a tuneless trainwreck. Still, the album isn't a total loss. "When I Go Deaf" succeeds not in spite of, but because it sounds like Paul and Paula backed by Crazy Horse. And the beautiful ballad "Broadway (So Many People)" soars above not only the rest of this album, but nearly everything else released so far in 2005. The Great Destroyer, on the other hand, never quite manages to get fully off the ground.